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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 3

3.1
Run 60min


3.2 & 3.4
MS
Swing 20
BP warm up
Swing 20
BP 1
Swing 20
BP 2
Swing 20
BP 3
Swing 10
FSQ
WPU

3.2 Heavy. Felt like Op 80% week. Rating FP as a GO in light of 2.7-3.1 back to back long runs.

3.4 BP and WPQ heavy but OK. FSQ very heavy. Set 2 was unbalanced. Not surprising with hard hill repeats yesterday. Still, FP is NO GO if based on today.


3.3
Run
45min incl 4x45sec hill repeats

I found a great hill about 20min from my house. Overall a good run. First half wasn’t fun. Was up all night last night with sick kids. The hill repeats knocked off a lot of rust. Last half was fine; I could have kept going longer. Total was 48min today because I wasn’t quite back home at 45min.


3.5
45min run


3.6
SE
Push-up 20 20
Sit-up 20 20
Pull-up 8 8
Step up 20 20
No rest between exercises. 2min between circuits. Stopped at two circuits because I was feeling it and running currently has priority over SE.

Rest 5 min

Run 90min

Today was a grind. Glad I have a rest day tomorrow.

Recap:

This was the end of my first three week "cycle" of Fighter Bangkok + Green. Both Fighter and the running program I'm doing go in three week cycles. I am doing Alpha cycles for SE (Bangkok).

Running: Finally found a good hill for repeats. Huge win. Feels good to get some mileage in. Enjoying this training base program. I'm not pushing mileage volume by any means...50.5 miles in 3 weeks. It feels good to be in E country for a while. Will be interesting to see how much my mileage total increases during the next three week cycle. Workouts will be the same duration, but mileage should creep up if I am getting in better shape.

MS: Feels good. Day 3.4 is the only MS day that was a NO GO for force progression. Will evaluate against days 6.2 and 6.4 in the future. So far, I am not missing Operator's third day of MS. It's a fair trade for running volume and SE.

SE: Not pushing SE volume. Just getting it in every week. This Block 16 will be 12 weeks. Nine weeks of Fighter Bangkok + Green. Then three weeks of SE + running while I am on leave. I will probably push SE volume harder during those three weeks. My plan is to rack up reps and miles without being too structured about it.

KB swings: Three more weeks, and I will have completed my AA progression through all my KBs. Need to start thinking about what comes next.

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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 4


4.1
Run 45min
+6min because app apparently didn’t turn on the 1st time. Not a great run. Got going better the last 10min or so.


4.2
Off day
Adjusted my workout schedule to better match my work schedule.


4.2 (revised schedule), 4.4
MS
3x5@75%TM
Swing 20
BP warmup
Swing 20
BP 1
Swing 20
BP 2
Swing 10
BP 3
FSQ
WPU

4.2 Heavier than 75% should have been. I haven’t been sleeping well. No doubt my body is still adjusting to Green after doing Black Pro for so long. FP = NO GO.

4.4 BP/FSQ/WPU all felt OK. Set 3 of FSQ was really good. Set 3 of WPU grinded a little. No surprise for the last set of a fasted MS session. FP = GO.


4.3
Run
10min warmup jog
4min tempo : 2min walk x4
10min cooldown jog

Felt average, but I’m actually pretty happy with my pace (assuming my app is correct).


4.5
Run 39min
One of my worst runs in recent memory. Legs and lungs fought against me the whole way. Terrible.


4.6
SE
Push-up 20 20 10
Sit-up 20 20 10m
Pull-up 8 8 4
Step-up 20 20 10
No rest between exercises. 3min rest between circuits.

Rest about 7min

Run
45min
Another ugly one. Time not distance. Time not distance. Time not distance.


Overall, this was a bad week of running. 3 out of 4 runs were pretty ugly. Hopefully next week will be better.

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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 5


5.1
Run 45min
Felt better than last week. Good sleep last night.


5.2 & 5.4
MS

Swing 20
BP warmup
Swing 20
BP 1
Swing 20
BP 2
Swing 20
BP 3
FSQ
WPU

5.2: Heavy but didn’t stick. Felt like 80% should. FP = GO

5.4 Did WPU first and BP last (with swings). Might have done 4 sets of BP. Got distracted and not sure if I did 3 or 4 sets. Heavier than 5.2 but FP = GO.


5.3
Run 40min incl. 30sec pickup x7
Good sleep the night before. One of the best runs I’ve had this block.


5.5
Run 40min

Neighbor tagged along. He’s faster than me for short distances, but he has less endurance. Was interesting to see the difference. He is used to seeing X miles on the schedule and getting it over with ASAP. It was a new experience for him to run slowly for time and find out the distance covered afterwards.


5.6
Run 75min (50min slow, 25min tempo)

Great run. Smooth 50min. Picked up the last 25min, including a big kick during min 60-70. This week's running was much better than last week. Starting to feel something like results.

I missed SE (the Bangkok in Fighter Bangkok) this week. Running has priority, and I was smoked on 5.6 after that run.

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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 6

6.1
Off due to work


6.2
AM
Run 50min

Another nondescript run. More bricks in the wall.

PM
MS

Swing 20
BP warm-up
Swing 20
BP 1
Swing 20
BP 2
Swing 20
BP 3
Swing 10
FSQ
WPU

Heavy. Ugly. No surprise for the 2nd session of the day after short sleep and a long day. Rating this as a no decision. NO GO would be unfair because today was a double.


6.3
Run 40min then 3x50sec stairs

I was supposed to do 20min / 5 x hills / 20min. I was forced to run somewhere else with no hill. I did stairs to get some elevation, but I cut the reps because stairs are way steeper than my usual hill. Legs were fried after the stairs. I think it was six flights of switchback stairs. I don’t remember exactly as I’m typing this. I was gassed after each rep and especially at the end.


6.4
MS

Same as MS from 6.2. Heavy, especially legs. No surprise after yesterday’s big stairs.


6.5
Run 30min
Legs are feeling beat up. Slow. Bare minimum.

SE
Push-ups 2x15
Sit-ups 2x15

Feeling run down. Didn’t push SE at all. Saving the rest of my SE circuit for tomorrow.


6.6
Run 90min
Grind. Really didn’t want to be out there. Pushed through.

SE
Pull-ups 5/5/5
No step-ups. I got plenty of stepping on the stairs earlier this week.


Notes:

Had to do a double, but I got all the work in this week. I'm especially glad to have completed my KB swing progression project. 18 weeks of swings 2x/week. Six weeks on each of my three KBs using the AA method.

Running update: I am past 100 miles so far for this block. 100 miles is not a lot for six weeks. Plenty of people run 100 miles in a week (or even one race). But I'm not a running specialist. We'll see what happens when I start my next running program (which is TBD). I'm not willing to run more than about 25 miles per week. I have to at least maintain my MS and SE. 25 should be enough for my PFT run goals.

SE update: I split up my SE this week, and I'm pretty happy with it. SE falls on the same day as my hardest run, and the full SE circuit is getting in the way.

MS update: Feels pretty good. I don't think I notice a drop off from doing Fighter vs. Operator. I definitely could not maintain Op with the running I am doing. Not even worth trying it.

I have six more weeks in this current block.

Weeks 7/8/9: More of the same. Fighter + Running program as Green. SE (Bangkok) may or may not happen. I have three weeks of SE coming up anyway. Not sure about swings. Maybe I'll do one day of swings and one day of RDLs.

Weeks 10/11/12: SE + running. And rest as needed. It's been a while since I took a rest week.

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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 7

7.1
Run 45min
I’m noticing my “easy” pace going down despite the same perceived effort. Glad to see it.


7.2
MS

WPU
FSQ
BP
KB swings 51/33/16 (2min rest)

I don't feel like doing the "weekly percentage as reps" method again. Lightest of my three KBs. Didn't push at all. Probably could have gotten to 100 in two sets.


7.3
Run
10min warmup
4min run, 2min rest x4
10min cooldown


7.4
MS
Drop to 80% TM

WPU
FSQ
BP
RDL

Feeling banged up, so I dropped to 80%TM vice usual 90%. I'll probably stay at 80%TM for Weeks 8 and 9.

RDLs are one of my favorite exercises, but I haven't focused on them in a while. I'm being cautious of weight. RDLs have never felt like other exercises to me. Weight increases obviously feel heavier in my hands, but I don't feel it in my hams like, say, bench feels in my chest. I've gotten some serious DOMS that way. Anyway, I'm doing RDLs for the next three weeks instead of a second day of KB swings.

Empty hands (movement pattern)
Bar
135
135


7.5
Run 30min


7.6
Run 75min

SE
Pull-ups 8 5 5
then
Push-ups 15 15
Sit-ups 15 15
alternating sets

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Accountability post

Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 8

8.1
60min run


8.2
MS (use 80%TM)
WPU
FSQ
BP
Swing 40 40 20


Annnnd three unscheduled days without training. An all hands "event" including last minute "planning" (hand wringing) followed by a training exercise. Workouts just didn't fit in the picture.

So I'm gonna start Week 8 over. Not happy about it, but there's a silver lining. My pace on 8.1 was surprisingly slow despite my usual perceived effort for an easy run. My three days "off" were not exactly rest. Two days of admin stress and one day of a low intensity training op. But I'm gonna take it as a brief "reset" and push through Weeks 8 and 9.

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Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 8 redux

8.1
Run
60min easy


8.2
WPU
FSQ
BP
no swings (got them on the previous 8.2 during my Week 8 false start)


8.3
Run
40min incl 8x30sec pickups


8.4
MS
Same as 8.2 but +RDL
RDL (one work set...still keeping it light & cautious)


8.5
Run
45min easy


8.6
Push-ups + Sit-ups 3x15
Pull-ups x5
Run 50min easy
Pull-ups x5
Run 25min faster
Pull-ups x5

Something like a fun run. Good run. Was happy with the 25min faster pace considering I had already done 50min and some PT.


Happy with my decision to restart Week 8 and do it right. Now I'll drive on and forget it ever happened.

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Apparently, I failed to enter Week 9 before I left on leave.

Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 9

9.1
Run 45min easy

9.2
MS
WPU/FSQ/BP
Swing 50, 50

9.3
Run 45min easy including 4 x 60sec hills

9.4
Same as 9.2, but RDL vice swings. Knees were fighting me. Had to fight to get down all the way. Glad today is my last MS for a while.

9.5
Run 30min easy

9.6
Push-ups / Sit-ups / Pull-ups
Run 60min easy. Supposed to be longer, but I ran out of time.


And here is what I did on leave. The E and SE section of Block 16. Plenty of rest days here and there, didn't keep track of them. 10 solid but relaxed sessions. Exactly what I wanted to accomplish.

Block 16
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Weeks 10, 11, 12

1
Run 5 miles
Pull-up + Bar push-ups at turnaround

2
Pull-ups 5
Bar push-ups 10
Step-ups 10
2min rest
x3

3
Push-ups
Sit-ups
Run 5 miles
Pull-ups about 1/3 way thru run

4
Pull-ups 1 : Push-ups 2
1-4-1
4-1

5
Run 4 miles

6
Run 5 miles
About mile 4:
Pull-ups 5
Bar push-ups 10
Repeat x3

7
Run .35 mile quick pace
Rest 3 min
Pull-ups 5
Rest 2 min
x4

8
Push-ups
Sit-ups
Run 4miles

9
Run 5miles
Push-ups & pull-ups at mile 3.5

10
Run 3+ miles
Alternate 2 pull-ups / 5 bar push-ups each lap


I have a few days to map out Block 17. It will probably look a lot like Block 16.

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Block 17
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Phase 1

I decided to train for a race. Target is either 5k or 10k. I sat down with a friend who has more running expertise than me. We mapped out a phased running plan to fit with Fighter. Each "phase" is three weeks. No ground breaking stuff here. Just helped me identify the training elements I need and fit them into the TB template. That seems like a better plan than simply putting Fighter on top of a stand alone running plan.

Phase 1: Endurance Base (3 weeks)

Week 1
1: MS
2: E 40min
3: E 36min
4: MS
5: E 30min
6: SE + E 38min

Week 2
1: MS
2: E 45min
3: E 35min
4: MS
5: E 30min
6: SE + E 60min

Week 3
1: MS
2: E 40min
3: E 30min
4: MS
5: E 30min
6: SE + E 55min

MS is obviously Fighter. Using a lighter TM and focusing on perfect form. BP: Pause in down position. WPU. Chin well above bar. For FSQ, I am trying out some lifting straps to help keep my elbows up.

I am getting KB swings one day per week. I did three sets (one per KB).

E is LSS running for this phase (and next). Week 3 cut back some minutes (easy week principle).

SE is push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups (BW). Started with Alpha and will slowly progress thru Bravo. SE is not the priority, but I need to be getting some reps.

Phase 2 will be basically the same with longer runs and increased SE reps.

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Block 17
Fighter Bangkok + Green
Weeks 4, 5, 6

First things first: Equipment update

I bought an Airdyne.  Went with the AD7.  As far as I can tell, the AD7 is same bike as the Pro.  But the Pro has a commercial facility warranty.  I was tempted by the AD6 and it's lower price tag.

I went back and forth between the C2 rower and the AD7.  My decision boiled down to versatility.

The C2 is a pure HIC machine for me.  I can't see doing E, especially LSS, on a C2.  I know some people row for hours.  I'm not going to do that.

The AD7 has me covered for warm-up, cool-down, HIC, E, and recovery rides.  The C2 just doesn't check all those boxes, at least not for me.

The C2 is a great piece of gear.  I hope to own one day when I can justify having two pieces of cardio equipment.

I look forward to many horrible HIC sessions on the AD7, especially once my current Green/running kick ends (whenever that is). I'm gonna have to run a Black/Op block sometime soon. I haven't been making much MS progress lately.


Training...

Got seriously sick after my last post. Down hard for one week. Ate very little and stayed in bed for four days. Got moving and eating/drinking somewhat normally for days 5/6/7. Time to restart the Block, but I was certain I has lost some strength/conditioning. So I decided to retest (very conservatively, using multirep max with 225). Here's how it went:

BWPU: 11 reps. Yikes. 11 is not great. Down a lot from my typical max. But it's more than 10. Which means I can still do WPU.

FSQ: Bar, 135x5, 185x5, 225x6. Forced out rep 6 after a pause. I could have forced 2 or 3 more reps. Not worth it.

BP: Same results as FSQ

So around 260ish for FSQ and BP. Down here as well, but not as much as PU.

Didn't bother to do a PFT. It would have been ugly.

WPU: +a little weight. I keep meaning to post about this. Neither "official" TB method for doing WPU works for me. My WPU max is OK, but it is not very high relative to my body weight (which is pretty high).

1)  "Bodyweight + added weight" usually tells me to do BWPU 4 out of 6 weeks and add light weight for the remaining two weeks. Here is an example from a recent Operator block:

304 (234 BW + 70lbs)
90%TM = 273.6

70% 191.52 BW
80% 218.88 BW
90% 246.24 +12.24
75% 205.2 BW
85% 232.56 BW
95% 259.92 +25.56

The two weeks I did get to add weight were really light compared to BP and FSQ.  I especially don't see the point in doing 3x3 BW pull-ups during what is supposed to be an 85% week. That would be "lighter" than the 5reps during 75% and 80% weeks.


2)  The "added weight" method is not sustainable for all weeks, even with a 70% TM.  I would be at max effort (and most likely miss some reps) during the weeks that call for five reps per set.  But I can easily make the weights during weeks 3, 5, and 6.

So, what to do?  Losing weight is not really on my radar.  My PFT numbers are fine.  I don't need to lose weight for any operational/occupational reason.  I frankly don't look like I weigh 234 pounds (or 240, which I frequently creep up to).   I am not extremely tall. A shade over 6'.  People frequently don't believe it when they hear what I weigh...it's been that way my whole life.  I must have lead in my bones or something.

I could base the percentages off my BW max. Not a bad idea, and I probably will do that for some blocks. But my usual BW max is well over the 10 reps "required" to do WPU. And I want to do WPU.

So I am basically adding conservative weight to make my WPU perceived effort match FSQ and BP. That's my great idea solution.


FSQ & BP: 90%TM based on 250 (reducing from the 260ish I got from my retest)


So with my new numbers, I did the following weeks of Block 17:

Week 4

4.1
Run 50min

4.2
MS
Did a set of KB swings before each set of BP (at least 2min of rest before/after).

4.3
Run 50min including 4x30sec pickups

4.4
MS
Same as 4.2 but no swings

4.5
Run 40min

4.6
SE
Push-up 15
Sit-up 15
x3

Run 50min

Pull-up 7 7 7

Week 5

5.1
Run 50min

5.2
MS + swings

5.3
Run
10min easy
5x 2min fast, 4min easy
5min easy

5.4
MS

5.5
Run 40min

5.6
OFF

5.7
Run 50min

SE
Pull-up 5
Sit-up 15
Push-up 15
x3

Week 6

6.1
No run (Week 3 easy week)

6.2
Run 50min
Was supposed to lift today. Forgot.

6.3
MS + swings

6.4
Run 40min

6.5
MS

6.6
OFF

6.7
Push-up 15
Sit-up 15
x4

Run
20min slow
20min medium
20min fast (controlled)

Pull-up 5 5 5