The Battle Chef's Log

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Progression Week 3 Day 1
SQUAT

MGS
Box Jump 4x4
4/4/4/4
Squat 120# 4x8

8/8/8/8

Plank for Time x4

25/20/15/15

 

SGS

Box Jump 4x4

4/4/4/4

BW  Squat 4x8/

8/8/8/8

Plank for Time x4

10/15/15/10

 

AGS

Yoke Walk 185# (empty) 50 m x4
y/y/y/y
Assisted Glute Ham Raises 4x6

6/6/6/6

Reverse Hyper 0# 4x6
6/6/6/6

Heat & humidity worse than yesterday and I'm adding the 3rd giant set.  This has been a gut check every time, but by the end of the program the payoff is going to be soooooo worth it.

 

First time breaking in the yoke.  Even empty, HOOOOOLY CRAP thought I was gonna die.  I'm told that's how you know you're doing it right.  My legs are jelly right now.

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Program Week 3 Day 2

PRESS

 

MGS

Assisted Chinup 4x4

4/4/4/4

Overhead Press 100# 4x8

8/8/8/8

Bandy Twisty Things 4x8

8/8/8/8

 

SGS
Assisted Chinup Negatives 4x4

4/4/4/4

Axle Press 80# 4x8

8/8/8/8

Bandy Twisty Things 4x8

8/8/8/8

 

AGS
Tricep Push Down, green + 2 small blue bands 4x6

6/6/6/6

Wide Grip Inverted Row, roughly 45 degrees 4x6

6/6/6/6

 

 

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Program Week 3 Day 3

DEADLFIT
 

175# 4x8 complete.

 

The heat wave I'm enduring has claimed the lives of 33 people in neighbouring Quebec.  The temperatures in my area aren't far off.  I got the important lift done and that's enough for today.

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Program Week 3 Day 4
BENCH

 

MGS

Axle Rows 135# 4x8
8/8/8/8
Bench Press 135# 4x8

8/8/8/8

Sandbag Full Contact Twist 25# 4x4

4/4/4/4

 

SGS

KB Rows 24 kg 4x8/side

8/8/8/8

Close Grip Bench 120# 4x8

8/8/8/8

Sandbag Full Contact Twist 25# 4x4

4/4/4/4

 

AGS

Assisted Dips 4x6

6/0/0/0

Green Band Face Pulls 4x6

6/0/0/0

The heat wave finally broke.  Massive thunderstorm yesterday followed by high winds cleared out the last of the bad weather.  This morning it's actually pleasant to be outside.
So far, 54 deaths have been reported in Quebec attributed to the heat wave.  Ontario and the Maritimes take a little longer to announce cause of death so who knows how many perished elsewhere.  :/

My elbows crapped out at the assistance set, don't blame them.  I need to get some lifting straps soon, my forearms are getting painfully sore.

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Program Week 4 Day 1
SQUAT

 

MGS

High Jump 4x2

2/0/0/0

Squat 130# 4x8

8/8/8/5

Leg Raise 4x4

4/4/4/4

 

SGS

High Jump 4x2

0/0/0/0

Front Squat 65# 4x8

0/0/0/0

Leg Raise 4x4

0/0/0/0

 

AGS

Yoke Walk 205# 4x25m

y/y/n/n

Assisted GHR 4x6

0/0/0/0

Good Morning 85# 4x8

2/0/0/0

 

Conditioning
2 Burpees EMOM 10 min

n

 

 

Really managed to fuck the dog on this one.  Strained my lower back something fierce on the first set.  D:  

 

 

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Progression Week 4 Day 2
PRESS

 

MGS

Assisted Chinups 4x4

4/4/4/4

Overhead Press 4x8 Trying ramping sets, working up to 110#

8/8/8/8

Glute-Ham Halos* 4x4

3/2/2/2

 

SGS

Assisted Chinup Negatives 4x4

4/4/4/4

Assisted Dips 4x6

6/6/5/6

Glute-Ham Halos* 4x4

2/0/0/0

 

AGS

KB Press 20kg 4x8/side

5/5/5/0

Banded Face Pulls (green) 4x8

6/6/6/0

 

Conditioning

10 minutes AMRAP

- 10 medicine ball slams

- 10 sledgehammer strikes

- 1 lap around the shop

1

 

*these ended up being Side crunches (or "horns" lol) instead of halos.  Never felt as nervous about using a piece of equipment as I did sticking so far out from the GHD.  Ended up adding 135# of plates to the thing to keep it steady.  I'm a very top heavy guy and it was a bit more of a strain than I had anticipated.


I want to win the lottery so I can establish a network of garage gyms around the world.  End goal being I will move to which ever area is the coldest with least humidity.  My entire bedding set needed to be changed 'cause I sweat clean through it all last night.

 

 

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Linear Progression Week 4 Day 3

DEADLIFT

 

MGS

Assisted GHR 4x4

4/4/4/4

Deadlift 4x8 top set of 195#

8/8/8/8

Hollow Rocks 4x8

8/8/8/8

 

SGS

Assited GHR 4x4

4/4/0/0

Stiff Legged Deadlift 165# 4x8

8/8/0/0

Hollow Rocks 4x8

6/5/0/0

 

AGS

Reverse Hyper 20# 4x6

6/6/0/0

Farmers Walk 110# 4x25m

y/y/n/n

 

I ate waaay too much feta in my eggs before training, feeling sick to my stomach :/

Lifting straps have made a huuuuuuge difference in not feeling like death after deadlifts.  Glad I finally got them.

 

Swapping the dynamic hinge for the GHR before the deadlift was a good idea.  I just feel generally wore out rather than strained in the lower back.

[The Battle Chef]

NEVERsate Week 4 Day 4

BENCH

 

MGS

Barbell Row 4x8, top set 145#

8/8/8/8

Bench Press 4x8, top set 145#

Bandy Twisty Things 4x8

8/8/8/8

 

SGS

Wide Grip Row 4x8 125#

8/0/0/0

Close Grip Bench Press 4x8 125#

8/0/0/0

Bandy Twisty Things 4x8

8/0/0/0

 

Today I learned that if you do two heavy days like this back to back...

[The Battle Chef]

So it turns out that having undiagnosed type 2 diabetes for over a year makes for shitty training conditions.  Who knew?  Not me until September.
 

It's been a chaotic few months, lot of steep learning curves to managing this sum'bitch but in the end it is a net positive.  No excuses not to clean up my diet and get my shit together any more.  I'm on metformin, not insulin at the moment.

Starting stats for when I was diagnosed in September
Weight: 312#
A1C blood sugar: 7.2 (bad, but not super bad)
LDL cholesterol: 3.0 (fine for a healthy person, but the diabeetus means I need to lower it)

Current stats:

Weight: 294# and maintaining
A1C blood sugar: 6.5 (acceptable, will do better with time)
LDL cholesterol: 1.54 (bang on the money.  No cholesterol medication for me!)

I have transitioned to a roughly 60% vegetarian diet.  I'm mildly lactose intolerant and I have been trying to be stricter about accidental dairy dosage (BUT THE CHEESE?!), and I actually enjoy beans and legumes, so it hasn't been all that hard.  

Since going on the meds and cleaning up the diet lifting has been much easier.  I've been doing Wendler's 5/3/1 and loving it so far.  Despite the crap health year I've actually made progress on all my lifts.  I'll update more later, as this work week is insane.

[WhiteGhost]

Wow, that kind of news can be a major blow.  I hope you are able to keep things generally under control, and glad that you are making progress on your weight and lifting.

[The Battle Chef]

9 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Wow, that kind of news can be a major blow.  I hope you are able to keep things generally under control, and glad that you are making progress on your weight and lifting.

Thanks.  Things are going better than previously.  The good thing about eating "like a vegetarian" as opposed to being vegetarian is chicken stock, a tiny bit of bacon or sausage can go a long way to keeping the flavours I have become accustomed to while still significantly improving my diet.  Less stress and frustration yields better long term results.


I tried jumping right back where I left off and regretted it.  My entire routine was been thrown off, including my meals.  Almost passed out while deadlifting and would not stop feeling woozy until 30 min later.  I'll take the rest of this week to do a lighter workload until equilibrium has been restored.

[The Battle Chef]

Not too much to report.  Did some "lightweight" (125#) back squats and some ass to grass goblet squats with a 20kg kettlebell to get back into the routine.  

 

Although I did manage to drop the loaded barbell onto my neck, because racking is hard?  I guess?  I have a feeling tomorrow is going to suck >.<

[The Battle Chef]

Basic 5/3/1

Week 4 Day 1

1- Press

60x5

72.5x5

87.5x5

95x5

110x5

125x5+ (5)

110x5

95x5+ (7)

 

2a- Barbell Row- 120x5x10

2b- Neck extensions- 15x5x10

 

 

 

Too tired and grumpy to report anything else.

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 4 Day 2

1- Deadlift

107.5x5

135x5

162.5x5

175x5

202.5x5

227x5+ (5)

202.5x5

175x5+ ()

2a- Assisted GHR 5x7 (2 of 5 sets done)

2b- Plank 5x35" (2 of 5 sets done)

 

Crap day, everything felt off.  Did what I could.

 

 

 

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 4 Day 3

 

1a- Bench Press

77.5x5

95x5

115x5

125x5

142.4x5

162.5x5+ (5)

142.5x5

125x5+ (6)
 

1b- Barbell Row

77.5x5

95x5

115x5

125x5

142.4x5

162.5x5+ (5)

142.5x5

125x5+ (6)

 

2- Concept2 row for time

30 whole seconds

 

It was a day.

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 4 Day 4

Squat

90x5

110x5

132.5x5

145x5

165x5*

187.5x5+ (5)*

165x5

145x5+ (5)

*= broken set.  Had to re-rack the bar to catch my breath for a few seconds.  Did not have enough energy for reverse hypers or core work.

 

 

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 5 Day 1

1- Press

60x5

72.5x5

87.5x5

102.5x3

117.5x3

132.5x3+ (4)

117.5x3

102.5x3+ (7)

 

2a- Barbell row

120x5x10

 

2b- Neck Extensions

15x5x10

 

3-  Concept2 row for time

558m in just under 3 min

 

 

It's amazing the difference having a calm day and an unhurried pre-workout meal can have on your energy levels.  I have most of the week off and am starting to catch up on sleep and unwind.  Now if only I can get rid of this dumbass headache >.<  One miracle at a time, I suppose.

[WhiteGhost]

Enjoy your week off and hope the headache gets better soon

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 5 Day 2

 

1- Deadlift

107.5x5

135x5

162.5x5

187.5x3

215x3

242.5x3+ (3)

215x3

187.5x3+ (5)

 

2a- Assisted GHR 5x8

8/8/8/3 (failure)

2b- Plank 5x0:30

30/30/20 (failure)

 

So I had baked a yellow cake with lemon frosting for Christmas dinner yesterday.  It was delicious.  This morning as I was trying to scrounge some leftovers for breakfast, my eyes kept wandering over the leftover cake, and my vitamix......

Cake & protein shakes are awesome pre-workout meals.  This is still not the strangest meal I've liquefied.  

[WhiteGhost]

Probably not a coincidence that cake batter flavored protein powder is a thing

 

[The Battle Chef]

Yeahhhhhh but real cake is better >.>  gives you dem carbs!

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 5 Day 3

 

1a- Bench Press

77.5x5

95x5

115x5

135x3

152.5x3

172.5x3+ (4)

152.5x3

135x3+ (8)

 

1b- Barbell Row

77.5x5

95x5

115x5

135x3

152.5x3

172.5x3+ (4)

152.5x3

135x3+ (7)

 

2a- Neck Flexion 15# 5x10

10/10/10/0/0

2b- Concept2 Row Intervals 5x200m

200/200/200/0/0

 

Out of desperation I had quiznos for lunch...  It's been so long since I had fast food my body's really not happy with me right now >.<  Trained until nausea hit.

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 5 Day 4

1- Squats

90x5

110x5

132.5x5

155x3

177.5x3

200x3+ (3)

177.5x3

155x3+ (5)

 

2a- Reverse Hyper 20#x5x8

2b- Ab Crawl-Out 5x4

 

Today is going to be a nutritional write-off FOR THE GREATER GOOD.  

 

1- F*ck squats.  They kill me every time.

2- Friend of +5 Awesomeness is coming over for lunch and everyone has a craving for Mac & Cheese. I am making the CHEESIEST PASTA I POSSIBLY CAN.  Many Lactaid will be consumed.

3- F*ck squats.

 

Apart from the pasta and dairy, still eating mostly whole grains, pulses and veg, so whatever.

 

I am 90% certain the headaches were due to caffeine withdrawal.  I haven't taken any for over a week now, so I suppose that makes sense.  They're getting better finally.

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 6 Day 1

1- Press

60x5

72.5x5

87.5x5

110x5

125x3

140x1+ (2)

125x3

110x5+ (7)

 

2a- Barbell row 125# 5x10

2b- Concept 2 interval rows 5x200m

 

Had to go stupid slow on the rower just to complete everything.  I didn't take much rest between sets because all my hoodies and warm clothing was in the wash, and it's freeeeezing outside.  Garage gym problems lol.  Finished everything in 45 minutes.

[The Battle Chef]

5/3/1 Week 6 Day 1

1- Deadlift

40% 107.5x5

50% 135x5

60%162.5x5

75% 202.5x5

85% 227.5x3

95% 255x1+ (2)

85% 227.5x3

75% 202.5x5+ (6)

 

2a- Assisted GHR 5x8

6/6/5/4/4

2b- Plank 5x30"

30/30/30/15/10

 

a) I need to warm up my lower back more

b) Holy fuck I almost dislocated a few fingers on that second 95%

c) It's so goddamn cold that even with a toque, hoodie and thick socks I'm barely sweating.  Springtime soon plz?