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Getting Artificially Strong (and complaining about Cardio)

10/25
3 Miles 34:13

Today
Giant 1.05 W1D1 60#
10 rounds

So I’m okay, my back was in serious pain the day after but then rapidly improved. I added an extra rest day and didn’t push today as I could feel it wasn’t fully happy yet. 10 rounds is three rounds off my carb loaded gluttonous PR for this amount of reps. I think I had 11 in the bag if I pushed, so setting a goal of 12 and stretch goal of 13.
 
10/27
5 Miles 1:02

10/28
Giant 1.05 W1D2 60-#
DNF

I made it 20 minutes and cut it because my back flared up again. It’s weird that I was good for the other workout, but yeah it’s not good yet. I got six rounds in the 20 minutes, but I’m going to restart and do it again.

10/30
3 Miles 28:57

10/31
3 Miles 33:34

11/1
Alternating Single Arm Press Ladder 16kg
10!
Concentration Curl 8#
3x20

Just keeping it light and keeping the blood flowing. That ladder used to be a really rough workout about four years ago for me, now it’s my injured workout.

11/2
3 Miles 33:18

11/3
3 Miles 35:08

11/4
Shoulder Press Machine Drop Sets
3x 170# - 140# - 110#

I forgot to write down the reps, but I got 8/5/5 on the top reps of 170#. This was also a favorite workout for awhile, but I was using 120#. My pressing is feeling strong!!

Concentration Curls Descending Ladder 20-25#
10!
My repaired bicep was not at all happy with this one, so I dropped to 20# after the rung of 8. Good pump after that.

Shoulder Press Machine 100#
7x10

Just to kill time as my wife was running late, nothing close to failure but got difficult towards the final set.

My lower back is still sore over a week later, I definitely messed myself up by thinking it was minor and returning. This must be what getting old is, can no longer just instantly recover from these things. I am planning on going for a max press early in the week next week and hopefully resuming Giant later in the week. I pulled out my lever belt and I think that can help me return and continue healing.
 
11/7
5 Miles 1:01:02

11/9
5 miles 59:37

Giant W1D2 60#
6 rounds

Finally back from that lower back spasm! Well, hopefully. I thought I was back before and ended up not being, but no pain during or after. I wore a belt to be on the safe side which was interesting. More rounds than this, I had 6 as my max for today to be safe. Probably going to ease back in and not open full bore till after thanksgiving.

8 rounds for my goal, 10 rounds for a stretch goal.
 
11/11
6 Miles 1:10:49

Today
Giant W1D3 60#
13 rounds

Had a hard cap at twelve rounds and felt so good I broke it. Absolutely no back pain!! Goal of 15 rounds, stretch goal of 17 rounds. As usual, got insane DOMS in my repaired box when I came back but I can work through it.

Adding in some overhead dumbbell extensions as my triceps have grown tremendously on the outsides but the long head is tiny. Here’s hoping for a horseshoe in a year.
 
11/14
Six Miles 1:09:55

Today
Giant W2D1 60#
10 Rounds

Tied my first week, which was like a month ago at this point lol. I probably had more in me but work has been crazy and I have been staying there since Monday. I ran home for the workout but got calls and texts throughout it.

I was able to tighten my watch another loop which was a bit surprising. Guess I’m making those wrist gains with this weight loss. I’m also fitting into my 32s again, snugly but fitting. I started this wearing a 36 weight so happy there. Weigh ins in three days!!!
 
11/16
6 Miles 1:09:00

11/17
Giant 1.05 W2D2 60#
7 Rounds

Hit a one round PR, but I also didn’t push it last week. Still a PR, I’ll take it lol

Today
6 Miles 1:12:55

Finally did my weigh in after six months of calorie restricted keto. Went from 238 to 213!!! Twenty five pounds is more than I would have guessed, I was guessing 220. Super pleased as I have also been able to keep up on my C&P. I’m going on vacation tomorrow so hopefully I don’t bloat up too much.
 
11/23
3 Miles 32:16

12/1
C&P 24kg 10x5

Today
Giant 1.05 W2D3 60#
13 rounds

So I went to NYC for vacation thanksgiving week and it was way too cold for a desert rat like me to run as I had hoped I would. I got one short run in on a day that wasn’t too bad, but then I proceeded to get a cold that kicked my a#@ and still is. I did a light workout on Wednesday to shake the cobwebs out, the 24kg is feeling super light now which is nice.

Today I managed to tie my W1D3 despite having to blow my nose and take cough breaks. I am hoping that I can get past this so I can start running again, my half marathon is only 11 weeks away and I feel woefully unconditioned. I started 1.05 on 10/24 and have only managed six workouts in six weeks. Life be like that, but man it sucks.
 
Giant 1.05 W3D1 60#
10 rounds

Tied the previous two, which is a win. Somehow my cold got worse over the weekend and the second wind has been absolutely kicking my a#@. At two weeks of it now and it’s hellacious. Unsure how I’m going to return to my running, that’s gonna be rough as I have lost all that base I built.
 
Giant 1.05 W3D2 60#
7 rounds

Another tie, which is another win to not be losing ground. I think I’m finally getting healthy, with that said this was easily my highest RPE of the illness. Maybe cuz I popped less pseudoephedrine today lol.

Fingers crossed I’m out of the woods.
 
Giant 1.05 W3D3 60#
14 rounds

My best score in this phase, but I did hit 17 rounds in 1.0. I’m feeling better, just have sinus headaches now. I think I’ll hopefully be good to run on Monday if this keeps clearing up. I think 17 rounds might be a bridge too far to finish the phase but 15 is within sight.
 
Giant 1.05 W4D1 60#
11 rounds

Lost a round from the PR in this phase and finished two rounds away from my PR from 1.0. It’s silly that I was able to maintain 12 rounds while sick but when I get healthy I lose a round lol. I think I have a really good chance of PRing on D2 this week
 
Giant 1.05 W4D2 60#
8 rounds

Finally a PR!! Felt pretty good, especially given that I shoehorned the workout in between work stuff. I have a feeling the rounds of 8 are about to kick my a#@, but I’m as ready as I’m going to get.
 
Giant 1.05 W4D3 60#
17 rounds

Tied my PR from when I weighed 240!! Three round PR at this Bodyweight. This was sort of a freak thing as my goal was 15 rounds but I was feeling good and pushed it. I think I could have had 18, but it would have only been a thirty second test between sets and the last time I pushed like that I tweaked my back. Played it safe but still happy.
 
Giant 1.1 W1D1 60#
13 rounds

Tied my 1.0 score again!! Weight is pretty stable at 210, going to try and hold this weight through the holidays and then start calorie counting again. I think 1.1 and 1.2 on a big deficit would be brutal, so most likely 2400 kcals and 30/30/40 macros. Goal of 14 rounds, stretch goal of 15 rounds
 
Giant 1.1 W1D2 60#
6 Rounds

Drank a bit too many martinis last night, felt it on the workout. Still happy with it for the opening salvo. Goal of 8 rounds, stretch goal of 10 rounds.
 
Giant 1.05 W1D3 60#
8 rounds

Felt really good, doing the 8 reps on day 2 really makes it mentally easier to stomach the reps of 7. Same rounds as last week, but way less grindy and an RPE of 6 ish instead of 8 ish.

I had 8 rounds as my goal and 10 as my stretch. I still like 10 rounds as my goal by end of 1.2.
 
Giant 1.1 W2D1 60#
12 Rounds

Two rounds off my PR, but rough weekend. I was one of the thousands to get f@#$ed by Southwest and have to Planes, Trains and Automobiles my way home. I love that I’m okay with entering a workout suboptimal knowing I won’t PR but just put the work in. Between Geoff and Dan John, my workout choice is a lot healthier and productive. I say productive because I randomly decided to measure the guns and I’m up an inch since the start of Giant with the 60s!!! I am at 16.5”, so I even broke the 16” barrier without realizing it.
 
12/28
Treadmill Run 3 Miles 36:29

Today
Giant 1.1 W2D2 60#
7 Rounds

Tricep Extensions 55#
2x6, 1x9

A one round PR, my lockout felt super strong. I don’t really add accessories here as I haven’t been too consistent or running a plan with them, but for about the last month I’ve been doing seated overhead extensions with a 40# dumbbell working my way up to 3x15. Suddenly my lockout where I usually grind is feeling strong, unsure if it’s confirmation bias or not but I’ll keep on until I don’t.
 
Treadmill Run
3 Miles 34:40

Treadmill running is the worst, need to start waking up early enough to run before work.

Giant 1.1 W2D3 60#
9 Rounds

Tricep Extensions 55#
2x7, 1x10

One round PR! My presses are feeling strong, I was crediting the extensions until I hopped on the scale and saw it says 219. Nine pounds gained during the holidays I am going to try and diet again next week, but I have menu changes in all my restaurants and bars plus heading to Sedona for the wife’s bday. I typically have to be all in to successfully diet, to eat clean outside menu tastings and the trip will be a big mental challenge.
 
Giant 1.0 W3D1 60#
13 rounds

Tricep Extensions
55#
2x8, 1x11

Invisible Press
Red mini band
2x13, 1x16

One round off my PR. I think 15 is doable next week if I don’t drink, eat right and bring it mentally. But those have been tall orders around the holidays so I’m not sure lol.

Invisible Press I made up the name, idk what these are called. Overhead reach with mini bands I guess? I put the mini bands around my wrists, pull them tight to a neutral pressing position then slowly press air for reps. Got a really big pump in my traps from them, I’ll keep playing with it and see if there’s value in it. Thought is using it as prehab for my rotator cuffs due to the amount of pressing I do.
 
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