all posts post new thread

Trying to be social about training

3/29/23 -- Giant 3.0 Week 3 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 9 rounds, 24 kg bells
I hit technical failure way too early. I was having a hard time reaching lockout with my left arm and the bells were not kept in sync while being lifted. I rushed quickly on the early sets and this was not a good day anyway. Anyway, after reaching 9 rounds, I failed to make the 10th round on the last lift twice before switching to singles to not let the time go to waste. It is weird, I just push hard, but the left arm jams and I wind up doing some sort of seesaw press on the right.

Anyway, I am going to deload with 20 minute sessions next week and than try to run the Giant 3.0 again. Strength needs time.
 
Last edited:
3/31/23 -- Giant 3.0 Week 3 Day 3
Double Clean and Press: 44 rounds, 24 kg bells.
That went great, and left me feeling great. I am stronger than I was three weeks ago.
 
Deload week. The time on all sessions was cut to 20 minutes from 30 minutes.
4/3/23 -- Giant 3.0 Week 4 Day 1
Double Clean and Press: 14 rounds 24 kg bells

4/5/23 -- Giant 3.0 Week 4 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 11 rounds 24 kg bells
It looks like I am making progress, but I am having a lot of bad days. Since this is why I switched to an autoregulated program in the first place, I guess this means it is working.

4/7/23 -- Giant 3.0 Week 4 Day 3 24 kg bells
Double Clean and Press: 27 rounds
I used a lot of extra tension and focused on the active negative.

I will simply rerun the program and then test with the double 24 kg bells.
 
4/10/23 -- The Giant 3.0 Second Time Around Week 1 Day 1
Double Clean and Press: 23 rounds double 24 kg bells.

4/12/23 -- The Giant 3.0 Second Time Around Week 1 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 15 rounds double 24 kg bells
That was hard and I don't think that I can top that.

4/14/23 -- The Giant 3.0 Second Time Around week 1 Day 3
Double Clean and Press: 39 rounds double 24 kg bells
I am not really sure why my total volume lags on the easy day.

I also bought Strong! for the videos. So I have some fine tuning to do on Saturdays, or whenever I can find the time.
 
4/17/23 -- The Giant 3.0 Second time around Week 2 Day 1
Double Clean and Press: 24 rounds double 24 kg bells
This was hard and I had to cut the rest time on the last 8 sets or so to meet my goal.

4/19/23 --The Giant 3.0 Second time around Week 2 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 16 rounds double 24 kg bells
I managed to meet my goal. It is about 50-50 if I will make the 17th set next week. This left my arms and back soar.

4/21/23 --The Giant 3.0 Second time around Week 2 Day 3
Double Clean and Press: 43 rounds double 24 kg bells
I am still lagging behind in total volume on the light day.
 
4/24/23 -- The Giant 3.0 second time around Week 3 Day 1
Double Clean and Press: 27 rounds double 24 kg bells
This felt good and was less rushed than last week.

4/26/23 -- The Giant 3.0 second time around Week 3 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 17 rounds + 1 extra single double 24 kg bells
I started the 18th set, and I had time to complete it, but I stopped after 1 because I was just plain done. I had no tension and the risk of injury was greater than what ever I would gain by completing the set.

4/28/23- The Giant 3.0 second time around Week 3 Day 3
Double Clean and Press: 40 rounds double 24 kg bells
I was right to be happy with Wednesday. I was awesome, but I also reached my zenith.

Well, next week I will deload with 20 minute sessions and decide what to do. My options are adding 1 to every set (essentially the progression from Easy Muscle Schedule B), The Giant 1.0 (if I decide to test and manage to get 10 reps), switch to Strong! phase 2 slow and steady (if I easily make 10x3 in 20 minutes), or something completely different.
 
Deload week, time was cut to 20 minutes from 30 minutes
5/1/23 -- The Giant 3.0 second time around Week 4 Day 1
Double Clean and Press: 16 rounds double 24 kg bells

5/3/23 -- The Giant 3.0 second time around Week 4 Day 2
Double Clean and Press: 12 rounds double 24 kg bells
The first 10 sets were in 15 minutes and I took my time with the last two.

5/5/23 -- RM
My new rep max with the double clean and press with 24 kg bells is 7.
I did not have a camera on me, and I did not want to start grinding out crappy reps. It felt like I was holding the bells forever, and it was my endurance that failed. So, it is clearly time to move on to longer sets. I just need time with sets of 4 or 5 before trying to tackle sets of 6 or 7.

I am going to mull over my options, but I will probably just add a rep to each set and transition to the Giant 1.0 in eight weeks. I can't think of a good reason not to take my time.

I almost forgot, but after testing I set my clock for 15 minutes and kind of played around with the double clean and press. I did a few sets of 4, then some singles with an extended hold in the lockout position and long active negatives.
 
And I switched to Strong! Phase 2 The Slow and Steady.
There are three reasons for this: (1) I wanted to do fewer reps with better form and did not want to grind out more sets of 4 than I could do with great form; (2) I want to lose weight and think I can maintain a better diet on Strong!; (3) The Giant when beginning a different job is not quite what I wanted, the day I had at work was affecting my sessions after work. I think I can keep a more even keel with fixed sets.

In summary for the last 8 weeks I ran two cycles of the Giant 3.0 with the time cut on the fourth and eighth week to 20 minutes.
My rep max with double 24 kg bells went from 5 to 7. My rep max with double 28 kg bells went from 1 to 2. My weight went from 224 lbs to 230 lbs. Most of the weight is in my shoulders and upper back.

So, I guess I will log running Phase 2 of Strong! The Slow and Steady in a super vague way that is only helpful if you already know what I am taking about, and thus, presumably, bought the product.

Monday 5/8/23 -- Strong! Ph II, Slow and Steady
Session #1
That was easy and all 10 sets felt crisp.

Wednesday 5/10/23 -- Strong! Ph II, Slow and Steady
Session #2
This was the shortest kettlebell session that I have ever done.

Friday 5/13/23 -- Strong! Ph II, Slow and Steady
Session #3
The total elapsed time was 18 minutes, so I know that I met the time standards. Today was a long day at work, and this did not feel great, but I don't think my performance degraded in a meaningful manner.
 
Well, maybe I will revive logging my training in a public place. If just to be a research subject for anyone who is curious.

In the missing months, I kept training the overhead press until I couldn’t press over head anymore due to pain in my left arm. I than ran Phase I of Strong! with the double racked front squat and 28 kg bells. I figured that I would be back to pressing in no time, but I was wrong. At the end of the 7 weeks (took one off due to having Covid) I still had pain in my left arm from pressing. So, I started a cycle of Easy Strength with the bridged floor press, modified gorilla rows, swings, and a random loaded carry. My goal in doing so was to increase my upperbody pulling strength, strengthen my left tricep without overworking it, and take it easy so that I could maintain a diet and lose some weight. I only achieved the first two goals, I can now press overhead without pain. Halfway through the cycle of Easy Strength, I bought a barbell and started buying plates. I switched out the swings for deadlifts.

Which brings me to today. I began this log in media res with day 63 of Simple and Sinister. It is time to compare it to the old school option, this is slightly immature because I could easily fill in the last 9 days, but here it is:
 
Day 10 of the 1st Cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 225 lbs 5-3-2
I reset every lift, and used a regular mixed grip on every lift.

Kettlebell Military press: 2(20kg) 2x5
Performed with my feet together and I am actively trying to eliminate any backlean whatsoever.

A few things to note: (1) I didn’t buy any 2.5 lb plates, so I am going up 10 lbs every other day in the deadlift. (2) I don’t have room anywhere in my house to lift the barbell over my head, hence the kettlebell press, (3) I am taking it easy on the press and making new guy gains on the deadlift, (4) I took the advice that an effective cycle generally lasts 8-16 sessions (page 57) to heart, under no circumstances will a cycle last more than 4 weeks. I should have gone with 3. Besides, I still need to practice my form with light weights.
 
Social_Media_Hater said:
Day 10 of the 1st Cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 225 lbs 5-3-2
I reset every lift, and used a regular mixed grip on every lift.

Kettlebell Military press: 2(20kg) 2x5
Performed with my feet together and I am actively trying to eliminate any backlean whatsoever.

A few things to note: (1) I didn’t buy any 2.5 lb plates, so I am going up 10 lbs every other day in the deadlift. (2) I don’t have room anywhere in my house to lift the barbell over my head, hence the kettlebell press, (3) I am taking it easy on the press and making new guy gains on the deadlift, (4) I took the advice that an effective cycle generally lasts 8-16 sessions (page 57) to heart, under no circumstances will a cycle last more than 4 weeks. I should have gone with 3. Besides, I still need to practice my form with light weights.
Click to expand...
You might want to look at buying ankle weights, they can easily be loaded to 2.5 pounds depending on brand.
 
Day 11 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 235 lbs 5-3-2
This was easier than 225 lbs last Thursday and Friday. Probably from the 2 days of rest from the weekend.

Kettlebell military press: 2(20kg) 2x5
I guess that I will go up to 24 kg bells when I start a new cycle on the deadlift.

I am curious to see if this cycle ends because of accumulated fatigue coupled with a long day at work, the weight getting too heavy, or if I simply reach the end of the 4 weeks and reset.
 
Day 12 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 235 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell military press: 2(20kg) 2x5

Just punch the clock and get the session done. I was nervous because I slept funny and woke up with a sore back, but this seems to have nothing to do with the deadlifts.
 
Day 13 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 245 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell Military press 2(20kg) 2x5

My a#@ hurts. I guess that since my a#@ hurts, and not my back, I am doing the deadlift right.
I am not sure how much more I can add to the deadlift this cycle; I started with the estimate that my 5 rep max was 235 lbs, so that's ok.
 
12/28/23 -- Day 14 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 245 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell Military pres 2(20kg) 2x5

My hands are too beat up from the knurling on the barbel to deadhang for mobility purposes between exercises. This has me worried, but I already know that I ate a big supper and went to bed early, and was fine the next day.

12/29/23 -- Day 15 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 255 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell Military press 2(20kg) 2x5

I feel pretty good. Maybe I simply underestimated how strong I was to start with?
 
1/1/24 Day 16 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 255 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebel Military press: 2(20kg) 2x5

If I want to hang on a pullup bar for mobility, I should do it before the deadlifts wreak my hands. Problem solved, I guess.

I filmed the set of 5 on the deadlift. I did not think that that was the position my body was in at the start of the lift: my butt is really far back and almost in line with my knee. I am going to have to think this one over, watch some videos on the deadlift, and probably wind up asking for help when I can't figure this out by myself.
 
1/3/24 Day 17 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift : 265 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell Military press: 2(20kg) 2x5

Making sure that my knees were pushed all the way against my arms at the beginning of the lift made the hing feel better. It was not necessarily visibly faster when recorded, but it felt more snappy.

I am looking forward to backing off with a lighter weight next week.
 
1/4/24 Day 18 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 265 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell Military Press: 2(20kg) 2x5

The deadlifts were so much harder today than yesterday. If I didn't already know that I could handle 265 lbs, I would have ended the set of 5 at 4 and called the cycle over. The set of three was also difficult. For the set of two, I pulled the bar back to where I usually lift from, and it was much easier. You see I have trouble keeping the bar straight because the plates on the right want to roll forward a couple inches onto the lowest point of the floor. I feel like an idiot, but that almost imperceptible uneven deficit makes all the difference in the world.
 
1/5/24 Day 19 of the first cycle of Power to the People!

Deadlift: 275 lbs x 2
225 lbs x 5
Kettlebell Military Press: 2(20kg) 2x5

Yeah, I did 2 deadlifts at 275 lbs, took a long time to set up for the third, and just said "Nope" at the start of the pull. 265 lbs can be my five rep max, for now.

So looking to set up the next cycle, 212 lbs is 80% of 265. I will start at 215 and see where I wind up.
 
1/8/24 Day 1 of the first cycle of Power to the People! [Day 20 in Total]

Deadlift: 215 lbs 5-3-2
Kettlebell MP: 2(20kg) 2x5

Restarting slowly, I am on the main forum asking for a form check.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom