Urgan Shows Up, Does the Thing

[ixaera]

1 hour ago, Urgan said:

I am concerned that 5/3/1 isn't going to be a good use to time, because there is so little volume and so little impetus to wrestle with some really heavy weight. Jokers are a thing, but we're talking a single or two. I am really, REALLY curious about how that program will feel after coming off all these 4-6x3s.

 

Since I'm doing some vague version of the opposite of what you're doing right now (ha), I can kinda speak to this! 5/3/1 is just straight up different, and the original setup is just not enough for almost anyone, IMO. (Maybe old men? Old men who have powerlifted? I dunno?) I think it's a good barebones if you take the beyond 5/3/1 approach and tack some sets on top of it, and vary those sets on some consistent basis. I like jokers, but think that I was doing too much with them, personally. I like first set last but think that in some cases that weight is too low. That said, different people are going to like different things, and maybe the difference in program will be something exciting and new for your nervous system to adjust to?

 

I think my favorite version was the 5/3/1 sets followed by down sets, so I'd repeat the top set, then repeat the second work set, then the first, and do AMRAPs all over the place. I dunno that I feel the same way I did about AMRAPs anymore, even though that isn't what injured me (THAT was my ego, which honestly the beyond 5/3/1 setup will let walk around stomping all over the place)

 

If I go back to 5/3/1, it would be some beyond 5/3/1 setup with less AMRAP than I was doing, a lot less deadlift volume. So not really a vote against (IMO you can set the program up to be similar enough to a 3x5 that it doesn't really matter what you do), but not really a vote for. I can speak for a 4 day split (not quite TM style) feeling just as challenging, in some ways more so. I felt on 5/3/1 that the work sets before the first AMRAP felt like more warm up, and I felt more confident going into the heavier weights. So that's something in its favor.

[Urgan]

18 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

I am not familiar with your past programs but what about squat variations to help build squat volume and work different muscles in the squat? Like goblet squats, pause squats, and box squats? I am no programming expert but I do see a lot of powerlifting programs doing variations on their main lifts to break through barriers. 

 

Something is going to have to change in order to move my numbers. Part of it is learning how to program around this huge spike in stress that will be a fixture of employed life most anyplace, but especially so here. Pause squats have the most merit of the three, since staying strong in the hole is of interest to anyone who has ever been in the hole, although box squats are challenging in their own right. 

 

7 minutes ago, ixaera said:

 

Since I'm doing some vague version of the opposite of what you're doing right now (ha), I can kinda speak to this! 5/3/1 is just straight up different, and the original setup is just not enough for almost anyone, IMO. (Maybe old men? Old men who have powerlifted? I dunno?) I think it's a good barebones if you take the beyond 5/3/1 approach and tack some sets on top of it, and vary those sets on some consistent basis. I like jokers, but think that I was doing too much with them, personally. I like first set last but think that in some cases that weight is too low. That said, different people are going to like different things, and maybe the difference in program will be something exciting and new for your nervous system to adjust to?

 

I think my favorite version was the 5/3/1 sets followed by down sets, so I'd repeat the top set, then repeat the second work set, then the first, and do AMRAPs all over the place. I dunno that I feel the same way I did about AMRAPs anymore, even though that isn't what injured me (THAT was my ego, which honestly the beyond 5/3/1 setup will let walk around stomping all over the place)

 

If I go back to 5/3/1, it would be some beyond 5/3/1 setup with less AMRAP than I was doing, a lot less deadlift volume. So not really a vote against (IMO you can set the program up to be similar enough to a 3x5 that it doesn't really matter what you do), but not really a vote for. I can speak for a 4 day split (not quite TM style) feeling just as challenging, in some ways more so. I felt on 5/3/1 that the work sets before the first AMRAP felt like more warm up, and I felt more confident going into the heavier weights. So that's something in its favor.

 

You know, that is a thing I've been scratching my head over. When I first started getting my head around the programming of 5/3/1 (and by this, I default to Beyond, because having tools to make this a doable program is important), I was kinda nonplussed at how low the prescribed "work sets" turned out to be when you do the math. So let's give an example of how I was planning on running this program.

Training maxes (not set in stone, just throwing out some numbers + deload):

squat = 150

bench = 75

OHP = 60 

DL = 190

 

 

First, I flipped the order such that it's 3/5/1--medium, low, high intensity weeks respectively.  Second, I arranged it into a 4-day split (guess what config I like best?) Third, I included backoff sets on the "light" exercise of the day. Two jokers at most on any week. AMRAP only on what is functionally the highest warmup. The other weeks are framed more or less just like this, adjusted for lower weight/higher reps and the reverse for the third week. I know if I cranked up the bench numbers, this would look more intimidating (and probably be more sensible by the time I'm at a point to take a crack at 5/3/1). On the other hand, I don't want to start a very different program RIGHT where I was when I quit the previous program, obviously, so it wouldn't be cranked up that much.  I suppose I could add back-off sets to everything ever.

[Jord]

51 minutes ago, Urgan said:

 

Something is going to have to change in order to move my numbers. Part of it is learning how to program around this huge spike in stress that will be a fixture of employed life most anyplace, but especially so here. Pause squats have the most merit of the three, since staying strong in the hole is of interest to anyone who has ever been in the hole, although box squats are challenging in their own right. 

 

 

You know, that is a thing I've been scratching my head over. When I first started getting my head around the programming of 5/3/1 (and by this, I default to Beyond, because having tools to make this a doable program is important), I was kinda nonplussed at how low the prescribed "work sets" turned out to be when you do the math. So let's give an example of how I was planning on running this program.

Training maxes (not set in stone, just throwing out some numbers + deload):

squat = 150

bench = 75

OHP = 60 

DL = 190

 

 

First, I flipped the order such that it's 3/5/1--medium, low, high intensity weeks respectively.  Second, I arranged it into a 4-day split (guess what config I like best?) Third, I included backoff sets on the "light" exercise of the day. Two jokers at most on any week. AMRAP only on what is functionally the highest warmup. The other weeks are framed more or less just like this, adjusted for lower weight/higher reps and the reverse for the third week. I know if I cranked up the bench numbers, this would look more intimidating (and probably be more sensible by the time I'm at a point to take a crack at 5/3/1). On the other hand, I don't want to start a very different program RIGHT where I was when I quit the previous program, obviously, so it wouldn't be cranked up that much.  I suppose I could add back-off sets to everything ever.

 

I see goblet squats as a great way to get in squat volume with less stress to your back. They make my legs sore in ways that back squats do not. courtniemarie can probably report on them better than I but I know she's getting a lot of benefit from them. and it takes less weight than you would think to make them challenging and build muscle mass in the legs. @CourtnieMarie

 

Pause squats because duh and because my coach is now torturing me with them and I want to spread that love.  3 second pause squats to be specific. 

 

 

[ixaera]

51 minutes ago, Urgan said:

I was kinda nonplussed at how low the prescribed "work sets" turned out to be when you do the math.

 

Exactly, my experience (what there is of it, anyway) seems to be that the real work comes after the 2nd work set, so calling them work sets just feels wrong lol. But I guess he has to, or why even call it 5/3/1, right?  In my pen & paper planning book at one point I was labeling those sets the "big warm up" out of snark.

 

The 3rd set being AMRAP means work happens there, but even that by itself isn't enough. I think what you've got programmed is a good implementation of what I was talking about. Nothing too crazy, still going to be challenging. If your goal is just to shove your adaptation out of its comfort zone, this should do the trick, I would think. It honestly looks a lot like what I would program for myself if/when I ever go back to it. (Honestly, I would be personally avoiding AMRAP on squats and deads for obvious reasons that pertain to me and not you, but otherwise, yep.)

[Urgan]

1 hour ago, ixaera said:

Exactly, my experience (what there is of it, anyway) seems to be that the real work comes after the 2nd work set, so calling them work sets just feels wrong lol. But I guess he has to, or why even call it 5/3/1, right?  In my pen & paper planning book at one point I was labeling those sets the "big warm up" out of snark.

 

This could potentially be solved by increasing the percentages used to calculate the 5/3/1, buuuut it's not something I'd do lightly at first, having never done it before. * shrugs * I do get the eyeroll vibe of <=135lbs being a work set when your training max is 150. Ah well.

 

1 hour ago, ixaera said:

The 3rd set being AMRAP means work happens there, but even that by itself isn't enough. I think what you've got programmed is a good implementation of what I was talking about. Nothing too crazy, still going to be challenging. If your goal is just to shove your adaptation out of its comfort zone, this should do the trick, I would think. It honestly looks a lot like what I would program for myself if/when I ever go back to it. (Honestly, I would be personally avoiding AMRAP on squats and deads for obvious reasons that pertain to me and not you, but otherwise, yep.)

 

Yeah, AMRAP is a lot of stress and yet it won't necessarily build a lot of strength on its own because of the intensity chosen. I could possibly do this a little while at least and evaluate what it does to me. I will think on it more. 

[Urgan]

1 hour ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

I see goblet squats as a great way to get in squat volume with less stress to your back. They make my legs sore in ways that back squats do not. courtniemarie can probably report on them better than I but I know she's getting a lot of benefit from them. and it takes less weight than you would think to make them challenging and build muscle mass in the legs. @CourtnieMarie

 

Pause squats because duh and because my coach is now torturing me with them and I want to spread that love.  3 second pause squats to be specific. 

 

My training philosophy is, as a self-coaching person, to change as little as possible at a time. I would need a program I feel comfortable with that a change in exercise selection would be easily isolated as the change I made. 

[CourtnieMarie]

13 hours ago, ixaera said:

 

Since I'm doing some vague version of the opposite of what you're doing right now (ha), I can kinda speak to this! 5/3/1 is just straight up different, and the original setup is just not enough for almost anyone, IMO. (Maybe old men? Old men who have powerlifted? I dunno?) I think it's a good barebones if you take the beyond 5/3/1 approach and tack some sets on top of it, and vary those sets on some consistent basis. I like jokers, but think that I was doing too much with them, personally. I like first set last but think that in some cases that weight is too low. That said, different people are going to like different things, and maybe the difference in program will be something exciting and new for your nervous system to adjust to?

 

I think my favorite version was the 5/3/1 sets followed by down sets, so I'd repeat the top set, then repeat the second work set, then the first, and do AMRAPs all over the place. I dunno that I feel the same way I did about AMRAPs anymore, even though that isn't what injured me (THAT was my ego, which honestly the beyond 5/3/1 setup will let walk around stomping all over the place)

 

If I go back to 5/3/1, it would be some beyond 5/3/1 setup with less AMRAP than I was doing, a lot less deadlift volume. So not really a vote against (IMO you can set the program up to be similar enough to a 3x5 that it doesn't really matter what you do), but not really a vote for. I can speak for a 4 day split (not quite TM style) feeling just as challenging, in some ways more so. I felt on 5/3/1 that the work sets before the first AMRAP felt like more warm up, and I felt more confident going into the heavier weights. So that's something in its favor.

 

12 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

I see goblet squats as a great way to get in squat volume with less stress to your back. They make my legs sore in ways that back squats do not. courtniemarie can probably report on them better than I but I know she's getting a lot of benefit from them. and it takes less weight than you would think to make them challenging and build muscle mass in the legs. @CourtnieMarie

 

Pause squats because duh and because my coach is now torturing me with them and I want to spread that love.  3 second pause squats to be specific. 

 

 

 

 

ooooo so much fun programming talk to catch up on! i have done 531 on and off for a few years now. as Ix said, it's very modify-able, which you already know. i have recently come back to it and no longer consider myself a beginner so i feel very comfortable upping every single work weight they prescribe. now, i haven't read the books so I can't comment on the reasoning of percentages they choose. but i now why where my limits are and can comfortably modify things as i go. i.e. this morning was squat 1+ day. it called for 85x5; 100x3; and 105x1. my squat 1RM PR is 130# and i'm still making n00b gains on it because of past mobility issues. so i knew i could hit 135#. changed the working sets to 105x5; 115x3; and ended up getting 4 reps at 135#.

 

my favorite thing about 531 is probably the accessories though. i like having time to do high rep accessories. goblet squats i don't do as an accessory, they are a warmup for me. so again, this morning, before back squats i did 45x5 and 65x5 goblet squats to warm up the hips and ankles. between rep 1 and rep 5 it is very clear how much my body is grateful for the chance to warmup this movement before putting a bar on my back.

 

531 on it's own is a little weaksauce. again, i haven't read the books so i don't know the science behind it all.

 

BUT the workouts are very quick sessions especially if you superset your accessories; accessories are gold; and it's easily modifiable to your preferences and ability

[Cataleya]

Wow, my head is spinning. This is all very fascinating to read! 

[Urgan]

21 minutes ago, CourtnieMarie said:

 

 

 

ooooo so much fun programming talk to catch up on! i have done 531 on and off for a few years now. as Ix said, it's very modify-able, which you already know. i have recently come back to it and no longer consider myself a beginner so i feel very comfortable upping every single work weight they prescribe. now, i haven't read the books so I can't comment on the reasoning of percentages they choose. but i now why where my limits are and can comfortably modify things as i go. i.e. this morning was squat 1+ day. it called for 85x5; 100x3; and 105x1. my squat 1RM PR is 130# and i'm still making n00b gains on it because of past mobility issues. so i knew i could hit 135#. changed the working sets to 105x5; 115x3; and ended up getting 4 reps at 135#.

 

my favorite thing about 531 is probably the accessories though. i like having time to do high rep accessories. goblet squats i don't do as an accessory, they are a warmup for me. so again, this morning, before back squats i did 45x5 and 65x5 goblet squats to warm up the hips and ankles. between rep 1 and rep 5 it is very clear how much my body is grateful for the chance to warmup this movement before putting a bar on my back.

 

531 on it's own is a little weaksauce. again, i haven't read the books so i don't know the science behind it all.

 

BUT the workouts are very quick sessions especially if you superset your accessories; accessories are gold; and it's easily modifiable to your preferences and ability

 

This agrees with my impressions 100%, but with more confidence since you have experience. Between your and Ix's input, I feel comfortable that I won't waste valuable training time on poor implementation of 531. For now, I hope y'all enjoy my Death by Volume. First day felt pretty good, actually.

 

23 minutes ago, Cataleya said:

Wow, my head is spinning. This is all very fascinating to read! 

 

In the programming weeds we will swerve wildly and with abandon. 

[Urgan]

3/5/2017 + WEEK 4 DEBRIEF

Rest day, end of program, end of month

 

Lift

Don't be a squat wuss

Rest day

 

Trying to focus on what I DID accomplish this month's realization of months of effort, rather than failure to hit 200lbs again. January derailed me bad, I had no idea the buzz saw I was about to walk into. 

 

Recover

Anti-Curfew - 20/20* 

 

The mag supplement experiment ended in a fail, perhaps the requirements are for steady month-long doses. Perhaps my body just decided to take it easy on me because of EOY stress. New type of mag, new (lower) dosage. It starts now. 

 

Getting out of bed on time is crucial to productive mornings. Now more than ever, with the new volume-tastic program. 

 

Edited to add macros and numbers:

 

Week 4 Average:

           Cals   /   Carbs   /   Fats    /  Protein /  Sugar

AVG    2393        233         110          121             40

TGT    2500        281           97          125           100

DLTA    -107         -48           13           -4           -60

 

 

Aikido

Ukemi - 4/4

Videos - 8/8 

 

God bless ukemi and everything it stands for. I have found time to do it and strikes practice on Saturdays. Really helped my upper body tension. I'm slowly becoming less afraid to roll on my right side and the flat tire style is less frequently popping up? I think? Feels better anyway.

 

I'm going to take a break on the vids in hopes the reminders will become more useful after a pause. It's like doing the same workout dvd for 2+ months lol.

[shaar]

Catching up and squeeing at the programming chat!  I'd been tossing around the idea of a modified 4 day TM during my next challenge, but I think I'm going to axe it for now because I'm struggling a bit.  IDK.  I might not axe it?  I've been doing a lot of reading and while initially interested in 5/3/1 because accessory lifts TM just seemed more my style - and with the 4 day modification, there's no way I wouldn't officially gas myself (or have the time to gas myself) on volume day.

 

2017.  Woof.  Y u do this to us???  It has been a taxing year for sure.  As long as we keep fighting back...

[Urgan]

19 minutes ago, shaar said:

Catching up and squeeing at the programming chat!  I'd been tossing around the idea of a modified 4 day TM during my next challenge, but I think I'm going to axe it for now because I'm struggling a bit.  IDK.  I might not axe it?  I've been doing a lot of reading and while initially interested in 5/3/1 because accessory lifts TM just seemed more my style - and with the 4 day modification, there's no way I wouldn't officially gas myself (or have the time to gas myself) on volume day.

 

4-day TM will sneak up on you and beat you with a tire iron IF your recovery is not on point. Exhibit A, right here. On the flip side, if you stick to it and give it all you got, you can see some serious improvement in not much time. Deload a bit coming into it and listen hard to your body's warnings if you're sticking to too much volume or aren't fully recovered from Intensity Day's stress. Basically, aggression without naivete, lol.

 

24 minutes ago, shaar said:

2017.  Woof.  Y u do this to us???  It has been a taxing year for sure.  As long as we keep fighting back...

 

Mugged me right off the bus, it did.

[miss_marissa]

19 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

I am not familiar with your past programs but what about squat variations to help build squat volume and work different muscles in the squat? Like goblet squats, pause squats, and box squats? I am no programming expert but I do see a lot of powerlifting programs doing variations on their main lifts to break through barriers. 

^^ I like dis.

 

19 hours ago, ixaera said:

I felt on 5/3/1 that the work sets before the first AMRAP felt like more warm up, and I felt more confident going into the heavier weights. So that's something in its favor.

AGREED! It just didn't seem like the "work sets" were enough volume for me to make progress.

I did really well for the first 2 or so cycles with 5RM and 3RM on my bench, really only because I hadn't been pushing myself there in those rep ranges that much. And basically no progress at all on squat and DL, or 1RM bench. 

 

 

I'm a big fan of volume and recently have come to tout the benefits of 6-10 rep ranges. TO THROW ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOUR WAY AND PARALYZE YOU EVEN MORE

Things that could be good for you:

Cube Method: Speed day (10x3 at ~60%, short rest periods), volume day (3x8 at ~80%), intensity day (heavy doubles/singles). So one week you would do speed squats, volume bench, intensity deadlifts. The next week volume squats, intensity bench, speed deadlifts. and so on and so forth. When I did it I added in a fourth "weakness day" which was a lot of upper body pulling.

 

Danger Method: 4 day program, lots of volume.

www.strongerbyscience.com will send you a bunch of free "training programs" if you sign up for the email list. You could cobble your own program together from those. It's actually very well done. It has levels for each lift beg, int, adv and # of times each week you want to train that movement. Based on that you can put together a program. Worth looking into. When I was considering self coaching I used the templates as a baseline.

[Urgan]

9 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

AGREED! It just didn't seem like the "work sets" were enough volume for me to make progress.

I did really well for the first 2 or so cycles with 5RM and 3RM on my bench, really only because I hadn't been pushing myself there in those rep ranges that much. And basically no progress at all on squat and DL, or 1RM bench. 

 

This is what I feared would happen. I guess there's only one way to know for sure...and it would serve as a break between higher volume programming.

 

11 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

 

 

I'm a big fan of volume and recently have come to tout the benefits of 6-10 rep ranges. TO THROW ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOUR WAY AND PARALYZE YOU EVEN MORE

Things that could be good for you:

Cube Method: Speed day (10x3 at ~60%, short rest periods), volume day (3x8 at ~80%), intensity day (heavy doubles/singles). So one week you would do speed squats, volume bench, intensity deadlifts. The next week volume squats, intensity bench, speed deadlifts. and so on and so forth. When I did it I added in a fourth "weakness day" which was a lot of upper body pulling.

 

I'd considered Cube at one point, but rejected it for the immediate future due to programming complexity. I'm trying to line up gradually more complex programming as I step further from noviceland. Occam's razor and self-coaching, and what all. I think 2 cycles and a scheduled deload week would be enough time for me to instinctually evaluate how I think 531 is going. 

 

20 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

Danger Method: 4 day program, lots of volume.

 

Danger method with my own assistance work might be viable at some point. I'll need to take another look. I'm getting a little braver aboutthe idea of designing my own stuff. More research needed? 

[Sam Ashen]

22 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

MB does like to program some volume. I don't see reason to worry about a 10RM, but a 5RM is arguably the best fusion of strength and hypertrophy for women...definitely is for men. My 3RM is pretty stuck ATM, so I'm going to try to unstick it. 

 

BTW, I take this as a vote against 5/3/1, lol. 

 

There are several people around this thread who can determine how well it has worked for me.

 

I have gained, yes.  It is hard for me to tell if I would have gained more or less on a different method or if I did some things to shoot myself in the foot.

[Urgan]

4 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

 

There are several people around this thread who can determine how well it has worked for me.

 

I have gained, yes.  It is hard for me to tell if I would have gained more or less on a different method or if I did some things to shoot myself in the foot.

 

At some point you have to pick a rabbit and chase it. Doing the thing 100% even on some theoretically suboptimal program is better than half-assing a mystical perfect program. The first time I did TM (properly), I lost a month+ due to the slightest falter in recovery, stupid nonsense, and a vacation. I don't regret the experience for the long run of training I pulled off (in spite of whatever one might say about the program's author) and I don't expect anybody else to regret theirs for other reasons. How the heck can we know for sure what is best* without some degree of risk? Some of that risk is in taking a position and then having to defend it with positive reults, lol.

 

Our training methods won't ever square, and I don't think we should care about it too much as long as we stay unstuck. There isn't much I'm prepared to state in writing that I will NEVER do (altho I may feel very strongly) in any capacity, outside of stand on a bosu ball. You never know where you'll be 5, 10, etc years from now. 

 

*AKA a unicorn

[Urgan]

Which is a long way of saying I had no intention of telling you what to do. I was speaking broadly and didn't even really mean to say you've been wasting your time.

[Urgan]

23 hours ago, Urgan said:

Week 4 Average:

           Cals   /   Carbs   /   Fats    /  Protein /  Sugar

AVG    2393        233         110          121             40

TGT    2500        281           97          125           100

DLTA    -107         -48           13           -4           -60

 

 

Added the above to the Week 4 debrief because I was too out of it to do so yesterday. 

[Urgan]

March 2017 Goals!

 

 

Wow was February an all-around better month--though it would be hard-pressed to match the EOY insanity. I ran out 4-day TM and have outlined the intervening programming until I have settled on a new program to try. I'm doing my best to make every aikido session possible (because wtf is kaitenage, I have not practiced it in forever), barring migraine days because driving in the dark with a migraine is #nopenopenope Speaking of migraines, my experiment with magnesium ended in failure. I have switched brands and am ready to begin anew. 

 

Lift

 

I am now on a very volume-intensive routine for the next 8 weeks. March and April will be aaaall about the 6x3 and 6x2. I'll also be researching to make sure 5/3/1 is where I want to go and block in a trial period for critical evaluation. 

 

Recover

 

Okay, so my last supplement was 400mg of mag oxide per pill and I took 2 of those starting 2 weeks out. This one is 250mg of mag oxide per pill, I plan on taking 2 all month long--I started on Sunday, so we are already on track therr. Complain about Shark Week, headaches, stuff. My next step will be a repetition of this plus a boost the week before and of Shark Week, if this level of supplementation is tolerable. 

 

Mag Supp - 7/wk

 

Aikido

 

So turns out that I can do ukemi and strikes on Saturday or whichever weekend day I go lift, no problem. I see no reason presently to re-up these quests. BRING BACK THE BOKKEN. Even if I do it sans sword (like at the gym, where bokken flailing is Frowned Upon), practice it. I'm wanting to pin down how close I am to test time, I'll need to polish up all the sword work that will be required for the test 

 

Bokken - 3/week

 

Office Space

 

This would be a pretty blah month were it not for my being totally tired of the state of my office. It has been the collecting ground of all the junk I haven't wanted to deal with since before Christmas. No more. I took the first step and did away with all the shreddables this past weekend. Here's the list of things that will make the office look better:

 

1. Set up guest closet with shelf unit hubs built

2. Relocate sellables to said shelf

3. Hide remaining Christmas crap

4. Dust 

5. Replace books on shelves that have been sitting around

 

And anything else I figure out that needs to be done. 

 

 

Week Debriefs: 

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

[Mistr]

I enjoy reading about your programming, even though most of it goes over my head.

 

Let's see if I got the main points. You feel like you have gotten as far as you can with modifications of Texas Method. By which you mean that you are not able to lift heavier things. You are going to try Death by Volume for eight weeks and see what happens. You have some rational basis for picking your starting weights and reps that does not involve rolling dice.

 

Overall it looks like February went better than January. Too bad the magnesium supplementation did not prevent your Shark Week migraines. Everything else is moving forward. I hope you get a chance to practice kaitenage. That is my favorite technique, especially the ukemi.   Boken practice does have the side effect of intimidating the people around you. I liked to do it in my back yard when I lived in an iffy neighborhood.

[Sam Ashen]

6 minutes ago, Mistr said:

I enjoy reading about your programming, even though most of it goes over my head.

 

Let's see if I got the main points. You feel like you have gotten as far as you can with modifications of Texas Method. By which you mean that you are not able to lift heavier things. You are going to try Death by Volume for eight weeks and see what happens. You have some rational basis for picking your starting weights and reps that does not involve rolling dice.

 

For most of it going over your head, it sure looks like you get it exactly!

 

You feel like you have gotten as far as you can with TM = stalled on progress.  When that happens, do volume.

 

And eat.

[Urgan]

11 minutes ago, Mistr said:

I enjoy reading about your programming, even though most of it goes over my head.

 

Let's see if I got the main points. You feel like you have gotten as far as you can with modifications of Texas Method. By which you mean that you are not able to lift heavier things. You are going to try Death by Volume for eight weeks and see what happens. You have some rational basis for picking your starting weights and reps that does not involve rolling dice.

 

3 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

For most of it going over your head, it sure looks like you get it exactly!

 

You feel like you have gotten as far as you can with TM = stalled on progress.  When that happens, do volume.

 

And eat.

 

What Sam said. I ran out of steam. You just get Tired after a while and cannot keep going forever. The program itself and the limitations of fitting it around limited sleep and stress of working do that. 

 

The sets and reps are prescribed by the program template, but yeah I pick the weights. You have a sense for this like whether you have enough space to roll without smacking into the weapons rack, lol.

 

Doing the math double checks your intuition. 160lb squat + (2.5 * 4) = 170 a month from now, - 2.5lbs and a slashing of volume to 3x3 and 3x2, we go another month for an ending work set of 172.5. I figure I can swing that. 

 

24 minutes ago, Mistr said:

Overall it looks like February went better than January. Too bad the magnesium supplementation did not prevent your Shark Week migraines. Everything else is moving forward. I hope you get a chance to practice kaitenage. That is my favorite technique, especially the ukemi.   Boken practice does have the side effect of intimidating the people around you. I liked to do it in my back yard when I lived in an iffy neighborhood.

 

Yeah, it's a shame about the mag, just gonna have to regroup and if it doesn't pan out, try something else. 

 

The yo-yo still kind of does me a concern at the moment. I need some quality time with it for sure. Budget alarm systems go! Crazy mime has an invisible sword, lol.

[Urgan]

3/6/2017 + 3/7/2017

Not my day

Lift

             

A good first session for this program. I got it all done in time thanks to me being the most prompt at getting to the gym on Mondays. ALL THE VOLUME. 

 

Recover

Mag Supp - 2/28

 

As I mentioned earlier, I got a good start at this one.

 

Aikido

Bokken - 0/12

 

Office Space

Put shelf in guest closet

Relocate sellables 

Put up Christmas

Dust 

Replace books

 

Just getting started--not much to report. Yesterday was not the best day all the way around, work-wise. Arrived at my parents' house kinda cranky and not really wanting to people anymore. We did bukiwaza, which demonstrated to me that I am somewhat rusty but got the review needed to feel very confident training alone. Tuesday was a rest day. We made the dinners: Loaded Mac and cheese and chicken soboro donburi. Pics of the former on the Insta. 

[shaar]

10 hours ago, Urgan said:

 Loaded Mac and cheese and chicken soboro donburi. Pics of the former on the Insta. 

 

Ah, so THAT'S what that was..... #NoRegretsEverNeverNope

[Sam Ashen]

Liked for this....

 

Not my day

 

Yesterday was not my day, either.

 

11 hours ago, Urgan said:

Loaded Mac and cheese

 

But this makes up for it!

 

4 minutes ago, shaar said:

 

Ah, so THAT'S what that was..... #NoRegretsEverNeverNope

 

This.