TacticalBarbell.com

Hello!

18F, 5'6, 126lbs looking to apply for Marine Corps PLC. Already talking with the OSO. I read TBI & TBII and I'm currently in my first week of BB(SE first). I wanted to post on this forum for accountability and for advice to questions I may have.

Target:
-250min PFT by December

Fitness Experience:
- I've been playing DI rugby since last semester but I have no fitness experience other than that.

Current Maximums:
- 3 chin-ups
- 2:00min plank
- 37:17 3mi (terrible I know)

Welcome! If you are getting 3 chinups with "minimal fitness experience" you probably have good strength potential. Your run time will improve greatly. Good luck!

TBPenguin wrote: ↑Sat Oct 08, 2022 2:25 am Welcome! If you are getting 3 chinups with "minimal fitness experience" you probably have good strength potential. Your run time will improve greatly. Good luck!

Thank you so much! The encouragement is appreciated.

10/4/22
3x20 SE circuit w/ 3kg kettlebell throughout
KB Swings
Goblet Squats
Bicycle crunches
Single arm floor press
KB deadlift

2min rest in between each exercise
2min rest in between rounds

10min full body stretch

I was starting out very cautious because I've never done a full blown workout with a kettlebell before. During the workout I didn't feel any exertion at all. The goblet squats and deadlift did get to me a little though because of my limited knee and ankle flexibility/strength but it will get there.

10/5/22
Ex30
LSS run on the treadmill.
5mins of planking
10min full body stretch

A few minutes in my shins started locking up, so I jogged/walked the rest of the time(made it 1.77mi). It's usually my calves that start to lock up when I run not my shins so I would like some advice on how to relieve the pain in my shins when I run. I'm going on my long endurance run tomorrow(10/10/22), so I will post on how it goes.

10/6/22
2x20 SE circuit w/ 3kg kettlebell throughout(decided to switch up BB Week 1 Day 3 and Day 4 because I was going on a run with a friend the day after)

5min row warmup

KB Swings
Goblet Squats
Bicycle crunches
Single arm floor press
KB deadlift

30sec rest in between each exercise
2min rest in between rounds

10min full body stretch
7min of planking before bed

Lowered the rest time in between each exercise and I felt it a bit more, but I think that it would be beneficial if I increased the weight. I will do that for my next SE session.

10/7/22
Had an impromptu rest day because I came down with a fever and bodily fatigue.

10/8/22
Felt a lot better on this day
Ex30 LSS run on treadmill for 15mins. Had the same problems with my shins so I switched to 30min/6.61mi on bike.

10/9/22
Recovery Day with 30mins of Yoga and 1.5mi outdoor walk. Will do planks before bed.


Questions:
-Should I add more exercises to my exercise cluster and/or increase the weight?
-How do I relieve shin splints? I want to get better at running so was it right for me to have switched to biking on 10/8 so that I could get my workout in or should I have stuck to jogging/walking and pushing though it?
-My long Endurance session is tomorrow. I'm going to massage my legs tonight to be as recovered as possible. Should I continue to run slow to work on my running or should I focus more on getting my workout in and just do another exercise?

You should probably add some rows with the KB to your cluster. Also I think you can use a heavier KB.

As for your shins and calves, you should probably strengthen those muscles before doing much running. To start do calf raises on a flat surface - up with both calves, then down with just the left. Do 20 reps. Repeat with the right. Go through this 3 times. Be slow and controlled on the down. There may be some shoe issues or running form issues as well but you definitely need to strengthen your calves. Until they get strong, instead of running do some rucking. If you use a weighted backpack and do some hiking, instead of rucking on flat land, this will also build up your calves.

10/10/22
Ex45
LSS run outside
2.81mi
7min stretch

Shins started flaring up again a few mins in. I jogged/walked for 15mins until I went running on the golf course near my university. The softer surface really relieved my shins to the point where I didn't feel any pain for the rest of my run even when I jogged on the pavement to get back to my dorm. I jogged/walked for 30 more mins so that I could stay within the heart rate zone. I felt really good and energized after the workout.

I'm confused as to why my shins flare up when on pavement in the first few mins of my jog but then I'm completely fine jogging on pavement after I've jogged on grass. I play rugby on grass/turf so it could be that I'm not used to running on harder surfaces. But I'd like some advice on the dilemma I'm facing.

TBPenguin wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 2:57 pm You should probably add some rows with the KB to your cluster. Also I think you can use a heavier KB.

As for your shins and calves, you should probably strengthen those muscles before doing much running. To start do calf raises on a flat surface - up with both calves, then down with just the left. Do 20 reps. Repeat with the right. Go through this 3 times. Be slow and controlled on the down. There may be some shoe issues or running form issues as well but you definitely need to strengthen your calves. Until they get strong, instead of running do some rucking. If you use a weighted backpack and do some hiking, instead of rucking on flat land, this will also build up your calves.

Thanks for your input! I'll add the rows and use a heavier KB. I don't feel like the Single arm floor presses are doing it for me so I'll probably switch it for Back Extensions. I'll be sure to do the calf exercises. There's a lot of trails behind my university to rucking won't be a problem. I'd still like to do some running so I think I'll do that once a week for my E sessions and use the others for rucking. Thanks again!

Shasta1026 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:41 pm
I don't feel like the Single arm floor presses are doing it for me so I'll probably switch it for Back Extensions.

I suspect that at some point in the future you will need to do pushups, so I would have some kind of pressing in the cluster. Maybe pushups, or do overhead presses with the KB.

TBPenguin wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:08 pm

Shasta1026 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:41 pm
I don't feel like the Single arm floor presses are doing it for me so I'll probably switch it for Back Extensions.

I suspect that at some point in the future you will need to do pushups, so I would have some kind of pressing in the cluster. Maybe pushups, or do overhead presses with the KB.

I will definitely have to do push ups in the future, so thanks for pointing that out. I'd only like 6 exercises in my cluster so what do you recommend I switch it out for?

Shasta1026 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:11 pm

TBPenguin wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:08 pm

Shasta1026 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:41 pm
I don't feel like the Single arm floor presses are doing it for me so I'll probably switch it for Back Extensions.

I suspect that at some point in the future you will need to do pushups, so I would have some kind of pressing in the cluster. Maybe pushups, or do overhead presses with the KB.

I will definitely have to do push ups in the future, so thanks for pointing that out. I'd only like 6 exercises in my cluster so what do you recommend I switch it out for?

I was suggesting that a press would be a more needed sub for the single arm floor presses. You've already got KB deadlifts and swings in there, so back extensions don't really cover anything new.