2/5/20

Early morning training in the basement.

• Front Squats - 225 x 3 x 2 - felt solid

• KB Single Arm Rack Holds - 40 kg x 4 x 15 sec/arm

Short and sweet. Felt a little run down this morning. I haven’t slept well the last few weeks. Time to rest up for the push/pull meet on Saturday. Should be fun.

2/4/20

Great training session in the garage at 0400.

• Axle OHP - 125 x 3 x 2

• 20 EMOM:

  • Odd minutes - Snatches - 32 kg x 5/5 - 100 total

  • Even minutes - Dips - BW x 3 - 30 total

This was a lot of fun and a perfect way to start the day. I went a while without doing heavy snatches, and adding them back in has been a a wake-up call. I’ve been alternating weeks between the 24 and 28, but I think now I’m going to run a few three-week waves of 24, 28, and 32 and see how that goes.

The snatches and dips were similar to a workout I did in the Fairfield Inn parking lot in Webster, NY, last summer. I was up there for work and brought my trusty 32 kg kettlebell. In that particular workout, I did snatches and push-ups under the bright sunny sky.

Zeus doing a big stretch this morning.

2/2/20

Awesome movement session today. Felt like a million bucks afterwards.

10 kg mace - 12 EMOM:

• Odd minutes - 10 360s

• Even minutes - 15 10-2s

This was fun and easy.

Went downstairs for some intervals on the rower. Warmed up and cooled down with 500m. Did 10 intervals in between of 100m/1:00 rest. 100m times (in seconds) are listed below. This was my first time ever adjusting the drag on the rower. It certainly makes a big difference.

1. 18.3

2. 17.9

3. 17.4

4. 17.2

5. 17.1

6. 17.1

7. 17.2

8. 17.1

9. 16.9

10. 16.7

I had gotten fired up about doing the rower after talking to Bill (not Wimble) at Home Depot yesterday. Bill is some random guy who works at HD and started telling us about some of his rowing feats. He was a very nice, knowledgeable, and interesting guy.

2/1/20

Woke up with an absolutely raging headache. I must not have drank enough tequila last night. I took Zeus for a walk and then headed to the basement to train.

• Deadlifts - 330 x 3 x 3 - belt only, easy

• Hang Cleans - 50 kg x 2 x 5; 60 x 1 x 5; 70 x 2 x 3; 75 x 3 x 3

• March in place with double 24s racked - 5 sets of 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest in between

Good session, especially considering how I felt when I woke up. My neighbor complained to me yesterday that he could hear a loud banging between 0430 and 0500 yesterday morning. He knows we work out at home so he immediately assumed it was me. I can’t imagine he could hear me in my basement doing my basic bro session while he was all the way upstairs in his bedroom. It seems impossible, especially since the only thing I did that made any noise was landmine rows, and it’s not like I slam those down after each set. Fuck it.

1/31/20

Good Friday bro session in the basement at 0400.

• Bench - 185 x 3 x 3

• Landmine Rows - 45 x 15; 90 x 12; 115 x 5 x 12 - did these in between sets of KB Incline Bench and KB Kneeling OHP

• KB Incline Bench - 24s x 4 x 10

• KB Kneeling OHP - 12 x 3 x 10

• KB Curls - 12s x 3 x 10 superset with

• Suitcase Carries - 32 x 3 trips (3 basement lengths/arm)

• Ab wheel - 3 x 5

1/29/20

Trained in the basement at 0400 with Zeus helping me out.

• Front Squats - 210 x 3 x 3 - felt very solid

• Two-handed swings - 40 kg x 10 x 10 EMOM

• Took Zeus for a walk ~1.25 miles on a beautiful crisp morning

I’m really excited about how my front squats are coming along. In December, I could barely even hold 185 without feeling like I was going to drop it.

My trusty 40 kg.

1/28/20

Trained in the garage at 0400. Didn’t sleep great but felt strong once I got going.

• Axle Press - 120 x 3 x 3 - This was easy. Kept the volume super low.

• KB Snatches - 28 kg x 9 EMOM x 7/7 - 126 total - had a lower back pump at the end so my form may have gotten sloppy

• Weighted Chins - 14 kg x 8 x 3 - varying grips

Tried to walk Zeus but he wasn’t having it. We did a few miles in the afternoon though so all is well.

1/26/20

Walked Zeus one awesome mile and then did a very enjoyable workout to get moving.

HIIT intervals on the Air Bike:

• 5 minute warm-up

• 11 intervals of 15/45 sprint/recover

• 5 minute cooldown

Went outside and played with the Quad Mace: Just did 10 EMOM of 5/5 360s.

Great session that opened me up and worked out some kinks from yesterday.

1/25/20

Normally I would play with the mace on a Saturday morning but it is absolutely pouring rain here so I decided to move my deadlifts to today.

• Deadlifts - 315 x 5 x 5 - no belt, straps on the last two sets

• Hang Cleans - 70 kg x 4 x 2 - I didn’t do a good job of tracking these sets, but they felt okay.

Hopefully the rain will let up later and I can walk Zeus. He seemed pretty content to be sleeping on the couch this morning so I don’t think he missed our morning walk too much.

Edit: Zeus and I got a couple miles in this afternoon. We got rained on the last 10 minutes but it was in the mid-40s so we were fine. I’m so grateful for every walk I can get with my doggy.

1/24/20

I woke up at 0230 to pee and Zeus came in about 0315 to see if I wanted to go for a walk so we went and walked one awesome mile.

Training:

• Bench - 175 x 5 x 5

• BB Rows - 90 kg x 4 x 5 were top sets

• KB Incline bench - 22s x 3 x 10 superset with

• KB Rows - 24 x 3 x 10

• BB Curls - Four sets of whatever

Fun Friday bro session in the basement with Zeus helping out.

1/22/20

Trained at 0400 again this morning.

• Front Squats - 195 x 5 x 5

• One-Arm KB Cleans - 32 kg x 5 x 5 EMOM

• Ab Wheel - 3 x 5

Fun session. I wore my knee sleeves during squats and it actually felt really good. I think I’ll start doing that from now on.

1/21/20

Trained in the garage at 0400 today. It was about 25 F out there, and I loved every minute of it. Zeus came out to keep me company for a while but got bored as I warmed up.

• Axle OHP - 115 x 5 x 5 - felt solid

• Snatch Test - 24 kg x 104 in 5 minutes - 10/10, rest, 10/10, rest, 10/10, rest, 10/10, rest, 12/12 - This was easy.

• Chins - 10 x 3 EMOM with varying grips

Once I got to work, I had six eggs with green beans and steak. What a fucking awesome way to start the day.

1/20/20

Off for MLK Day today, so I took advantage and went to Valley Forge for a five-mile hike this morning. The only downside was that I couldn’t bring Zeus. The cold weather has really been bothering his hips.

It was a beautifully crisp morning with temperatures in the high teens. When I came off the trail and walked past Washington’s Headquarters, the sun was coming up and starting to warm the ground.

1/19/20

Slept great last night. I think the three gin and seltzers helped.

• Deadlift - 300 x 5 x 5

• Hang Cleans - 50 kg x 5, 5; 60 x 5; 65 x 3, 3, 3

• Two-handed KB Swings - 32 kg x 10 x 10 EMOM

This was enough today. I think next time I run through this program, I will drop the deadlifts down to two sets of five reps. I tried to walk Zeus after this, but everything is covered in snow and ice. He plopped down in the neighbors yard and wasn’t having it.

1/18/20

Quad Mace and sprint work this morning: 20 EMOM

• 1-2: Alternating 360s x 10

• 3-6: 360s x 10

• 7-8: Swing-Squat x 10

• 9-10: 10-2s x 20

• 11-20: Sprints in the street

Sprints felt okay but my left groin felt a little weird on the last couple. It was only 19 F outside so that probably didn’t help. Followed this up with taking Cali to breakfast at the Limerick Diner and walking one awesome mile with Zeus. Over and out.

1/17/20

Slept like shit again but got up and started training around 0430.

• Bench - 165 x 5 x 5 - shoulder felt like cucka poopoo

• Close Grip Bench - 135 x 4 x 8 superset with

• KB Rows - 20 kg x 4 x 12/arm

• KB Curls - 12 kg x 4 sets superset with

• Push-ups

• March in place with 32 kg KB rack - about 5 sets/side

• Tried to do a weight vest walk with Zeus but he wasn’t feeling it so we turned around and came back. The weather turned here and the cold seems to really both his hips now.

I did not feel strong today. Had a few drinks at dinner last night with some friends and didn’t sleep much, but that’s okay. I’m still grateful to be able to get up and train.

1/16/20

Walked one awesome mile with Cali and Zeus and then jumped on the rower for some sprint intervals.

• 500m warm-up

• 10 sprints at 20/40 work/rest. I went just over 100m during each sprint.

• 500m cooldown

This was short and sweet. Just over 3000m total.

1/15/20

Trained in the basement this morning. Got going around 0410.

• Front Squats - 180 x 5 x 5

• Walked one awesome mile with Zeus while wearing the 18 kg weight vest

Short and sweet this morning. Yesterday’s workout was very minimal but I could feel it. I’ve really been backing off the daily volume lately and it’s made me feel fresh going into each day’s session. I’m going to keep it rolling.

1/14/20

Woke up at 0330 and knew I wasn’t getting back to sleep, so I got up and trained. Awesome decision.

• Axle overhead press - 110 x 5 x 5 - these weren’t bad at all…supersetted with

• Petting Zeus who was keeping me company in the garage

• Kettlebell Snatches - 28 kg x 6/6 x 10 EMOM

This was a really fun, short, and intense workout. I used the axle on press because I gave the barbell I usually keep in my garage to my buddy Bill along with a bunch of weight plates. Switching to the axle will be a good challenge.

Also, Zeus is just the best dog. He kept me company during this whole workout.

This picture was taken at 0356 and it was about 35 F in the garage.

1/12/20

Walked Zeus one awesome mile this morning. It’s going to be another beautiful day here…low 60s and sunny.

Training:

• Deadlifts - 285 x 5 x 5 - easy.

• Cleans - Worked up to 85 kg but my form is shit and I don’t know what I’m doing. Dropped the weight and did a bunch of reps at 50, 60, 65, and 70 kg. I’m excited for the Starting Strength seminar to learn about the clean (and everything else).

Walked 2.25 miles with Cali after eating breakfast.