Training for Tier 1

[snake]

Cycle 1 Week 5
Monday: Mobility work and lighter bodyweight strength, active recovery after the marathon.

Tuesday: My knees felt good and all healed up after BAMM so I decided to go for a run. I managed 2 km before the knee acted up again. What did I think would happen?



Wednesday: MMA sparring and technique with a friend from work, then some strength work.
Front squats, 80 kg, 5x3
Military press, 47.5 kg, 5x3
Chins, 16 kg, 5x3.

I actually felt pretty good during the strength session, I thought I'd still be sore after the marathon. Felt quite solid, like I've made gains.

Thursday: Active rest, walking and mobility. Didn't want to mess up my knee further.

Friday: MMA mitts work followed by max strength.
Front squats, 80 kg, 5x3
Military press, 47.5 kg, 5x3
Chins, 16 kg, 5x3.

Saturday: Out bicycling for hours on small gravel roads, just enjoying the scenery and myself fully. Did some mobility work as well, had an awesome day out in the sun!

Sunday: Walked a land navigation course ~8 km in combat kit, out for around 2 hours.

I've signed up for a two day workshop with Born To Run instructors as well in October. Super stoked to get my running technique handled! Aiming for running efficiency and injury prevention.

[snake]

Cycle 1 Week 6
Monday: Mitts work followed by max strength.
Front squats, 90 kg, 5x3
Military press, 50 kg, 5x3 - working at my edge, going to failure on last rep. Form deteriorating slightly.
Chins, 20 kg KB, 5x3. Going to failure on last rep. Need slight kip to get it up.

Tuesday: Mitts work followed by 40 minute rowing.



Wednesday: Mitts work followed by max strength.
Front squats, 80 kg, 5x3.
Military press, 47.5 kg, 5x3.
Chins, 16 kg, 5x3.

Thursday: Some Mitts work with my friend followed by 6.7 km running in 42 min. Which somehow messed my back up. From running? I'm not even mad, rather astonished.

Friday: Light mitts work followed by max strength.
Front squats, 80 kg, 5x4.
Military press, 47.5 kg, 5x4.
Chins, 16 kg, 5x4.
It actually feels way better being on slightly lower weights - I can keep almost perfect form (last rep is still a bit unsteady) with full range of motion and not feeling all burned out at the end of the session.

Saturday: Out land navigating in the dark, in the mist, in the rain - love it. 7 km in 1.5 h, it was tricky as hell.

Sunday: Active rest, swimming and sauna.


Starting the S&C phase next week with kettlebell circuits. It will probably take the whole next week to get used to this new routine again, my body will feel the novelty. Good stuff!
As I mentioned before, I used to train MMA. It's been on hold for the last 2 years. I love it that I'm starting to develop myself in that area again, I've missed it.
In the end, I train to be the best physical version of me that I possibly can be. I want to be strong, agile, resilient, flexible and have great endurance. I want to be the best mover I possibly can be - with and without weights. On skis, while running, in the gym, outside of the gym, in bed, while walking to the kitchen etc. I want to move for life, move in life, with life. That I'm focusing on reaching a top tier unit is just further motivation for me to develop certain aspects of my physical capacity - will sligthly shaping my training regiment, it adds to my overarching goal for my personal fitness.

[Barkadion]

In the end, I train to be the best physical version of me that I possibly can be. I want to be strong, agile, resilient, flexible and have great endurance. I want to be the best mover I possibly can be - with and without weights. On skis, while running, in the gym, outside of the gym, in bed, while walking to the kitchen etc. I want to move for life, move in life, with life.

Well said!!

[snake]

In the end, I train to be the best physical version of me that I possibly can be. I want to be strong, agile, resilient, flexible and have great endurance. I want to be the best mover I possibly can be - with and without weights. On skis, while running, in the gym, outside of the gym, in bed, while walking to the kitchen etc. I want to move for life, move in life, with life.

Well said!!

Thanks for the comment Barkadion!



Week 7, Cycle 1
Monday: Starting the Work Capacity phase of Green Protocol! I'm doing the good ol' kettlebell circuit.
Swings 30 reps, 20 kg
Goblet squats, 30 reps, 20 kg.
Renegade rows, dumbbells, 30 reps, 7 kg
One hand overhead press, kettlebell, 30 reps, 12 kg
Deadlift, 30 reps, kettlebells, 20 kg x 2
Pushups, 20 reps last two rounds.
Lap 1: 10:07 (no pushups)
Lap 2: 12:06
Lap 3: 12:00

Tuesday: 10 km run in 1:04. Barefoot shoes, tarmac/gravel roads all the way. My body held up, amazing! Though I was severely fucked up from the kettlebell circus the day before. If I'd just listen to my body I wouldn't have been so sore the rest of the week and would've been able to go harder the coming sessions.

Wednesday: Light kettlebell circuit, just going through the motions despite a worn out body.
Swings 35 reps, 12 kg
Goblet squats, 30 reps, 12 kg.
Renegade rows, dumbbells, 36 reps, 5 kg
One hand overhead press, kettlebell, 35 reps, 8 kg
Deadlift, 35 reps, kettlebells, 12 kg x 2

Thursday: Mits work + 45 min row.

Friday: Orienteering competition at work. Went so incredibly well the first 13 check points, was in the top 10 at around 40 minutes at that point. Check point 14 took alone 45 minutes to find. Fuck. Good training though, running up and down the damn mountain to find it.

Saturday: Hill sprints, duration 30 seconds. 10 KB swings 16 kg, 10 KB one arm presses 16 kg, 10 push-ups. 10 rounds.

Saturday: Hungover. Active recovery with frisbee golf and walking in the woods with a map and compass.

[grouchyjarhead]

In the six months since you've started this log, how are you feeling so far about your training?

[snake]

In the six months since you've started this log, how are you feeling so far about your training?

Thanks for the question grouchyjarhead! For now I'm feeling okay, I haven't really seen the improvements I had hoped to see regarding my running. I'm taking action to remedy this, at the moment I'm feeling very optimistic for what the future will hold.

Week Infinity, Cycle 1
It has been a long time since I updated, with a little bit of everything happening. The weeks of the program has been spread out over several real life weeks. I'm done with the S&C part, and thus the first Cycle of the program. For me the kettlebell circuits are easily the most psychologically demanding period in the program. And it's been very rewarding; I've re-discovered the power of breathing, visualisation and positive thinking during it. For me there's not the same need for those mental practices while doing low intensity cardio work or max strength.



What's happened:
- Finished off the first cycle of Green Protocol
- Long field exercise
- Really getting into Martial Arts again
- Participated in running course
- Signed up for Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Online Course

Where am I now?

I want to keep moving forward in my physical development. I want to become an exceptionally skilled mover who's strong, agile, flexible, resilient, well conditioned. I want to be very skilled in hand-to-hand combat; I think training Martial Arts will have an incredible positive effect for my character development. It's highly efficient at developing grit, a never-fucking-give-up attitude, as well as increasing my pain threshold.

I've got a whole lot of different ideas flying in my head and my brain is working overtime to get them to relate to each other.
I've got the Tactical Barbell protocol as my base. It feels like a good structure for developing my max strength and conditioning.
What I'm curious about is how I'll integrate the Martial Arts training with TB. I used to wonder about incorporating mobility work with TB; this I've started to integrate into my daily life instead. Challenging my movement whenever I have the chance; hang, sit in squat, stretch out my back. I'm feeling like I'm getting better and better to know my body and take the right measures to make it feel as agile and healthy as possible through short and frequent movements each day.

Future Plan
What I'm thinking about is to keep doing TB Green Protocol. I'll keep the Max Strength volume corresponding to 5x5 two times per week, but split it into three sessions instead and incorporate the running strength & mobility exercises I learnt during the weekend course. I'll do 3-4 LSS sessions per week with a duration of 60-90 minutes, preferably running and rucking. I now understand that I've been keeping a too high tempo from time to time when running, it's actually supposed to feel refreshing to run. I think this will be totally doable as long as I apply what I learned -> only nose breathing, correct posture, rhythm and relaxation. For Max Strength development, I'll continue with the same weights I had during the last cycle. When approaching 80-90%, it was really fucking hard to keep going with good form, I think I'll do well do cycle through it one more time.

Regarding training Martial Arts - I'll try to keep at it a lower intensity level, keeping myself relaxed and focus on the technique instead so that I still can get some kind of result from TB. For this week I'm continuing my "fragmented" training, I'm on vacation and going to my old MMA club for some sessions. Will get some gym and running sessions in as well. I'm feeling very optimistic regarding my training, thanks for the support guys!

[snake]

Week 1 Cycle 2
I've started Cycle 2, I'm using the same weights as during the last cycle. Looking for 'em long term gains.

Monday: Max Strength
5x3 Front squats, 70 kg
5x3 Military press, 40 kg
5x3 Chins, 12 kg KB



Tuesday: LSS + Kickboxing sparring
I got my ass handed to me at sparring. It was intense, I fucking wanted to throw my gloves at the wall and just give up at several times. My colleagues are super skilled, many of them have gone matches. No matter the outcome for me, it's still very good training for developing grit and hand to hand combat skills.
Ran 10 km in just over an hour.

Wednesday: Max Strength
Started with 40 min of MMA technique training. I really appreciate and need it.
5x4 Front squats, 70 kg
4x4 Handstand push-ups (something wrong with my shoulder so I couldn't do presses, but HSPUs worked!)
5x4 Chins, 12 kg KB

Thursday: LSS
Ran 10 km in 59:19. This day I really felt how much the running course has helped me. I could've easily gone on for another 30 minutes. I'm aiming for going for up to 1.5 hours from here on with good technique. I felt really fresh at the end of the sessions. Incredible, I'm also doing it in barefoot shoes.

Friday: Woke up with a cold, I'm pushing myself too hard in relation to the sleep I'm getting. The rest of the week was spent on active recovery and mobility.

[snake]

Week 2 Cycle 2
This week I played around a little bit with training before work instead of after it. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I got up at 4.30 AM for some Wim Hof Method practice and then training after it. Felt really great to get my training done before work, like I've got the upper hand on the day already. By chance I also stumbled upon Jocko Willink's podcast - that guy is a true inspiration for me regarding discipline and leadership.



Monday: Max Strength. I was damn sore in my legs after the squats, it was hard work getting in all 5 reps during the session. I felt my form falter a little toward the last 1-2 reps.
5x4 Front squats, 80 kg
5x4 Military press, 45 kg
5x5 Chins, 16 kg KB

Tuesday: LSS Run. 13.4 km in 1:34. Ran from home to work, dropped of my backpack and went out running in the woods. This was during morning and I haven't trained this early before; I had no idea that I would all of a sudden be needing to take a shit. I tried to keep going, but I was only halfway through my route and it was getting acute. Ran out into the woods and did my thing, had to clean up with frozen moss (we're below 0 degrees now) and then finished my run. Finished with a cold shower when I came in, super start of the day!

Wednesday: Max Strength. I felt much, much stronger doing my front squats this time around! Unfortunately during my second set I screwed up my form a little bit and I felt that my back took some damage. I managed to pull off the third and last set with ease, but my back was fucked up for the rest of the week. Still is.
5x3 Front squats, 80 kg
5x3 Military press, 45 kg
5x4 Chins, 16 kg KB

Thursday: LSS Run. 10 km in 1:10. This time I managed to run to work and then I had to use the toilet. A bit more practical than going out in the woods. The run was done on snow covered roads, super cozy and a little more challenging.

Rest of the week I've been engaging in active recovery. The one thing that I can do that will skyrocket my results is to get more sleep. I'm constantly underslept during the week, and really for no good reason. I need to discipline myself to get to bed early.
For now I'm hoping that my back will become 100% again, it's not good yet but it's getting better. I can always do the endurance part of my training if my back is lagging a bit with recovery.

[snake]

Week 3 Cycle 2
Monday: 6x4 pistols, 5x4 L-chins, 4x4 HSPU
Tuesday: 11.5 km run in 1:08
Wednesday: 6x3 pistols, 5x3 L-chins, 4x3 HSPU
Thursday: 10 km run in 1:06, windy and sandy conditions
Friday: 6x3 pistols, 5x3 chins 16 kg KB, handstand wall walks
Saturday: 10 km run in 1:06
Sunday: Cross country skiing 1:10



This is a dream week for me! 4 conditioning sessions, strength work divided up on 3 sessions. My back is healing, might try some light weights tomorrow. I also got enough sleep this week, it makes all the difference in the world for I'm feeling and for finishing the week strong.

[Barkadion]

Sunday: Cross country skiing 1:10

You must be across the ditch, mate.. Awesome!