TacticalBarbell.com

I was going to wait to post my training log I've been keeping until I finished the whole eight weeks, but the more I think about it the more I think I might as well just post to here instead of waiting. Plus I think I will be able to gain some good tips from the community as well.

A little about what I've been doing. I haven't run since separating from the military a few years ago. I like to lift and lift heavy. Lately, I've been thinking about how I use to be in better all around shape. Knocking out 5k runs in less than 20 minutes and still completing my daily sessions of iron. So one day I decided to do an old favorite--sprints. I completed my training and then did two miles worth of sprints--I was wiped afterward! So, I decided I was going to start running again. While browsing r/weightroom I seen people talking about conditioning and r/tacticalbarbell. I opened a new tab and started reading all the threads on r/tacticalbarbell. I read enough to realize this what I wanted to realize my goals--I want to squat plates and then go knock out a run, or go murder a two-mile run and deadlift the next day. I took a few days or more to read the books, ask some questions, and devise my workouts using the Base Building template. Now I'm here and beginning week two and I look forward to putting a check mark next to each training session every day on the base template sheet I printed out.

Below are my daily workout logs up until today.

Week 1

Monday 19 Sep 2016

SE Barbell Cluster 3x20

Did each cluster as one set with two minute rest in between sets. I was sucking air halfway through set two with rest pause for the rest of the workout. I was thinking, “how am I going to be doing this for 3x30, and 3x40 in the weeks to come. Going back over the reading I realize I should have been resting thirty seconds to two minutes in between exercises and then another two minutes at the end of the cluster after the last exercise—lesson learned!

Tuesday 20 Sep 2016

E x 30M Jog

2.53mi in 30min

Jogged quite slow. A lot of pain as time went on, not sure if because I haven’t ran in two years or maybe because I weigh 200lb. I was able to make it thirty minutes without stopping though, so objective complete. Brooks shoes felt good though. I don’t have a heart rate monitor so I wasn’t able to tell if I was running in the target zone suggested, but I read a tip to keep your mouth open and breath in and out of your nose, and that should equate to a conversational pace. I did that each time I felt I might be going to fast. Going slow did help to learn to lift my knees more though and not land on my heels.

Wednesday 21 Sep 2016

E x 30M Eliptical

3.01mi in 30min

Nice low impact break from jogging the other day. Nothing more to say

Thursday 22 Sep 2016

SE Barbell Cluster 2 x 20

Today's SE work felt great! I did empty bar again, but I could have put 5s on and been good. I rested from 0-30 seconds in between exercises and 2 minutes in between sets. I wasn’t really winded and felt like I was ready for next weeks sets of thirty. Not tired at all and still ready to go.

Friday 23 Sep 2016

Recovery

Mowed the lawn. Takes around 45 minutes.

Saturday 24 Sep 2016

E x 35M Jog

2.85mi x 35min

Felt pretty good. Easier to keep my pace and not as much pain while jogging. Didn’t get tired as fast either. Still felt pretty good even at around 25 minutes.

Sunday 25 Sep 2016

Rest


Week 2

Monday 26 Sep 2016

SE Barbell Cluster 3 x 30

Used 5lbs on each side of the bar for the first set. Was pretty difficult on the upper body movements. Was resting around sixty seconds in between sets. Set two I continued with the 5s on the bar and has a few rest pause moments on the exercises. Set three I stripped the bar. Still had some rest pause moments. I was fuckn wiped after those three sets. I had a headache and I literally just wanted to lay down on the floor and go to sleep; my eyes were half way shut walking a lab to cool down. I got home, layed down on the couch and crashed for an hour. I haven’t worked out at that intensity in a long time.

Tuesday 27 Sep 2016

E x 40M Jog—Jog/Walk

3.10mi x 40min

As soon as I took off my knees and calves began to burn; it was pain from the very first step. It was hard to keep my pace because of thinking of my lower body on fire. I was concentrating more to keep pushing myself then on my breathing and pace. I made it to about twenty six minutes before I gave in and walked. I finished the rest of the time between jogging and walking. I feel like shit for walking. I kept telling myself, if you made it this far what’s five more minutes of pain, just a little bit longer and it will be over. I couldn’t do it. My knees barely want to bed and I feel like my calves are going to explode.

Good man.

A couple of points you may wish to consider:

- don't worry about adding weight to anything in the SE cluster..... it's supposed to be hard, especially when the numbers get up there (40's & 50's)..... only when you can do a full set of 50 without pause would you look to up the weights.

- keep the goal the goal. I have an aim for every session I do.... and work towards it. In the case of the Endurance work, one of the main aims is the adaptation of the heart, the work on the cardiovascular system.... who cares if you're reduced to walking, its the HR that counts not how fast you run (that can come later ) ..... as a 230# person, I chose to run on trails.....if I didn't feel like running, id use the airdyne (Netflix a& cycle worked a treat)

- I viewed my BB phase as earning the right to move on, progress to the harder work.... I didn't want to 'run before I could walk' as it were. As a 45 year old, I finally learnt this valuable lesson

Enjoy the journey my friend, it's a great one.

Smart move going with the empty bar. Keep in mind using Alpha circuits are always an option first time 'round with Base.

Week 2 contd.

Wednesday 28 Sep 2016

E x 45M Bike/Eliptical

Felt pretty good. Heart rate according to the machines stayed between 120-135.

Thursday 29 Sep 2016

SE Barbell Cluster 2 x 30

Empty bar, complete all reps/sets, no rest pause. Rest times around 90 seconds.

Friday 20 Sep 2016
Recovery

Used as rest day for my knee. Still hurting on the lower inside of left knee.

Saturday 1 Oct 2016

E x 45M Eliptical

Didn’t feel as tired as I did after finishing in previous week.

Sunday 2 Oct 2016

Rest.


Week 3

Monday 3 Oct 2016

SE 2 x 40 Barbell Cluster

Slept like shit on Sunday night. Got home from work and didn’t even want to go to the gym. I went anyway, but I only completed two sets. I complete the three by forty on the next SE day/Thursday. I did feel better while doing the reps/not as straining or tiring, but I was still a bit wiped in between sets. I completed all sets with no rest pause and rest intervals of two minutes.

Tuesday 4 Oct 2016

E x 50M Eliptical/Incline Treadmill Walk.

I still feel like I have this big knot in my knee. After finishing the fifty minutes I didn’t really feel tired at all. In fact I felt more awake afterwards.

Wednesday 5 Oct 2016

E x 50M Eliptical/Incline Treadmill

Split the time between the elliptical and incline treadmill walk to finish. Noticed afterwards my ankles have been really sore. I need to start stretching more. I barely do this and need to start making it a habit just like when lifting.

Thursday 6 Oct 2016

SE 3 x 40 Barbell Cluster

I swapped SE on Monday and Thursday and it was a good decision. I felt great today. No rest pause on any of the sets and was able to recover a lot faster between sets. No complaints today.

Friday 7 Oct 2016

Recovery

Mowed the lawn.

Saturday 8 Oct 2016

E x 55M Jog

My inside left knee has finally felt better so I decided to hit the road and go jog. I decided to choose a destination that I figured would take me to fifty five minutes and I got there faster than anticipated so I turned around and made my way back home. My left knee is killing me again so I guess its back to the elliptical, bike, etc for now.

Sunday 9 Oct 2016

Rest. Patiently waiting on Week 6 to get here to start HIC sessions. I enjoy that type of work more than the E/LSS type sessions.

Those are good goals. Nice work so far. Back before people thought running killed their gains, a lot of the elite powerlifters in the 1970s used to do sprints and runs all the time. Not sure why it ever became taboo.