Walker377 TB Log

[Walker377]

Block 4

Wk 6 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 95% B5x1 97.5kg, S 5x2 137.5kg, WCU 5x2 37.5kg
T - HIC - 15,12,10,8,6,4,2 single handed 24kg KB swings 2 x each side.
W - As M
T - HIC - Apex Hills x 10 with 24kg KB.
F - As M
S - LSS 60min walking. SE - 3 x 20 A circuits, Push ups, Face pulls, Pull ups, Ring Dips.

That wraps up block 4. Bench was tough, went for the second rep, first set on Monday and couldn’t get it off my chest. Got it the first set on Wed but only just. It’s the first 6 inches off my chest I struggle with the most. Squats were great. Made a calculation error on WCU and did 37.5kg rather than 35kg, noticed on Friday but left it as I was getting the reps over all 5 sets.

Calf felt good so did Apex Hills on Thurs, unfortunately tweaked it again on the final rep so no running today. Didn’t have another LSS option other than walking which I did for an hour later in the day with the dogs. Added some light SE in the morning as I’ve just got new wooden dip rings and resistance bands and wanted to try them out.

Ring dips are much harder than straight bar dips that I had been doing but managed 8 at BW which was reasonable for a first try. Still considering whether to put these into a cycle in lieu of bench. Won’t for the next block though until I have practiced more. That said I’m seriously considering adding these into the next block as an additional body weight exercise at the end.

Next cycle is another Operator/ Black Professional, same cluster as before. I’m putting Squats and WCU up 2.5kg, Bench remains the same. After that I’m doing fighter green for 9 weeks in lieu of BB.

I’ve ordered the mass book, will arrive at some point soon, but I already know the next 15 week plan so not something that will be put into action just yet.

[VenomousCoffee]

On the bench issues, a classic mistake a lot of people make is they try to use their chest too much, almost like it's a really heavy db fly. But a lot of heavy benchers use their back more than their pecs. I try to think about keeping my elbows close to my torso and driving my elbows up and down.

Hope that helps.

[Barkadion]

On the bench issues, a classic mistake a lot of people make is they try to use their chest too much, almost like it's a really heavy db fly. But a lot of heavy benchers use their back more than their pecs. I try to think about keeping my elbows close to my torso and driving my elbows up and down.

Hope that helps.

Very true. Another good topic is shoulder involvement. I was very surprised reading line from Jen Thompson once: "My shoulders never bother me. I believe it is a form issue. I squeeze my lats together hard through the whole lift. I roll my shoulders down when I set up. I also never over extent the lift at the top. I really work on using as little shoulders as possible." Then I come up with the set of Bark's rules.. Works for me:

1. Sit on the bench
2. Shrug up your shoulders as far up as you can
3. Drive your shoulders back as far as you can and pinch your shoulder blades together (keep tight until the end of set)
4. Lower shoulders as low as you can and hold this whole position by engaging your lats.
5. Lie down on the bench
6. Using your legs, drive your upper traps into the bench creating a slight arch (SLIGHT) in lower back, keep tension in your quads all the time.
7. Do the bench press with elbows flared out at about 45 degrees.
8. Never have shoulder pain again.

Cheers!

[Walker377]

On the bench issues, a classic mistake a lot of people make is they try to use their chest too much, almost like it's a really heavy db fly. But a lot of heavy benchers use their back more than their pecs. I try to think about keeping my elbows close to my torso and driving my elbows up and down.

Hope that helps.

Very true. Another good topic is shoulder involvement. I was very surprised reading line from Jen Thompson once: "My shoulders never bother me. I believe it is a form issue. I squeeze my lats together hard through the whole lift. I roll my shoulders down when I set up. I also never over extent the lift at the top. I really work on using as little shoulders as possible." Then I come up with the set of Bark's rules.. Works for me:

1. Sit on the bench
2. Shrug up your shoulders as far up as you can
3. Drive your shoulders back as far as you can and pinch your shoulder blades together (keep tight until the end of set)
4. Lower shoulders as low as you can and hold this whole position by engaging your lats.
5. Lie down on the bench
6. Using your legs, drive your upper traps into the bench creating a slight arch (SLIGHT) in lower back, keep tension in your quads all the time.
7. Do the bench press with elbows flared out at about 45 degrees.
8. Never have shoulder pain again.

Cheers!

Thanks guys

I think I generally have my form down, I think about pinching the shoulder blades, use my legs to push back up on to my shoulders, arch my back but keeping contact with the bench, bending the bar into a “u” to keep the elbows in, keeping shoulders on the bench by not over pressing at the top.

It’s true I dont have great mobility in my back which does make my arch pretty small increasing my ROM. Perhaps this is part of the issue. Interestingly I seem to have a theoretical 1RM much higher than my real 1RM when using slightly lower weights, I could probably do 80kg x 10 ~108kg 1RM but struggle with 97.5kg x 2.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 1 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 70% B5x5 72.5kg, S 5x5 102.5kg, WCU 5x5 10kg, 3x5 Ring Dips, 3x10 Face Pulls
T - HIC - ME2 with 24kg KB
W - Rest
T - As M but 3x5, no dips of FP, Apex Hills x 5.
F - As M
S - LSS 50min run 4.6m @ 10:46mm

Solid week, had to move a couple of days around due to work. Added on Dips and FP as a finisher twice this week in lieu of planks. Not exactly TB Operator but I’m not deadlifting and I’m testing / practicing dips with a view to swapping out BP for the next block.

Finally got the Mass book through, read it once through already, will read it again over the next week. Plenty to get my head round and food for thought for future blocks. Grey Man and Mass particularly peaked my interest. Looks like DL is heavily integrated which based on my past injury experience I wouldn’t incorporate, but like the concepts and specificity.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 2 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 80% B5x5 82.5kg, S 5x5 117.5kg, WCU 5x5 20kg.
T - HIC - Apex Hills x 10 with 24kg KB
W - As M but 3x5
T - HIC - single hand 24kg KB swings 15,12,10,8,6,4,2 twice per arm for 228 swings.
F - As M
S - LSS 58 run 5.6m @ 10:30mm

Good week, 80% weeks really take it out of me when eating normally so removed the rings and FP I did in the 70% week. I’m running a slight deficit of ~3,000 calories a week to remove some of the additional fat I’ve put on over the last few months. Just need to drop 4-5kg. I’ve dropped 2.4kg in two weeks, at least half of that is probably water and glycogen so reasonably on track. I’m following the formulas in the Mass book.

Weight starting TB in May 18 was 87kg which dropped down to ~85kg after BB and a couple of cycles of OP/BP. Increased my calories and weighed in at 89.6kg on Wk1 of this block (Feb 19). Currently 86.9kg.

Read the new Mass book through three times now and it’s made me reconsider what my next block would be. Currently thinking about doing Mass BB then Grey Man, not 100% decided though my next block will definitely be one based on LSS running.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 3 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 90% B3x3 92.5kg S 3x3 132.5kg, WCU 3x3 32.5kg
T - HIC - Apex Hills x 10 with 24kg KB
W - As M
T - HIC - ME2
F - As M
S - 60min hiking
S - 4 hours skiing.

Weights were good. Kept to the min 3x3 as in a slight calorie deficit until Saturday. Weekend was my Birthday and got taken on a days skiing. Great day but killed my legs, not done it in 20 years and found some muscles I had long forgotten about. Deficit went out the window over the weekend and I didn’t weigh myself, back on it from Tuesday.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 4 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 75% B3x5 77.5kg S 3x5 110kg, WCU 3x5
T - Rest
W - As M
T - HIC - Apex Hills with 24kg KB
F - Rest
S - As M

In hindsight should have taken a rest day Monday as hiked, skied and generally walked around a lot over the previous weekend. Took rest days on T&F to recover as I wasn’t 100% and weights were hard even at 75%. Counting the Skiing as an E I dropped one HIC this week. Taking my normal Sunday rest day today so back on my normal plan from tomorrow. Diet also went out the window as feeling crap so didn’t make to much effort on counting. Calories. Weighed in at 88.2kg this morning though I expect at least 1kg is water and glycogen stores, perhaps slightly more.

At the moment I’m heavily leaning towards the Mass BB after this cluster then trying Grey Man for a couple of cycles.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 5 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 85% B5x3 87.5kg S 5x3 125kg, WCU 5x3 27.5kg.
T - Apex Hills with 24kg KB
W - As M
T - Rest
F - As M but 3x3 then 100 24kg KB swings
S - LSS run, circa 4.5m 50 min.

Monday was a light gravity day, had to double check I had the right weight on the bar for bench. Don’t get those to often but not complaining. Had to take Thurs as a rest day, long day at work so added KB swings after Fri workout.

[Walker377]

Block 5

Wk 6 Operator / Black Professional

M - MS 95% B3x2 97.5kg S 3x2 140kg, WCU 3x2 40kg.
T - Apex Hills with 24kg KB
W - As M
T - HIC - 200 24kg KB swings 50,40,30,25,20,15,10,10
F - As M
S - LSS run, circa 5m 50 min.

And that’s the end of the block managed a few PBs this week. Bench, finally got 97.5kg 3x2 every set. Squat 140kg, heaviest weight lifted. WCU BW+40kg, heaviest weight added. Great end to this stint, particularly happy to finally have some progress on my bench.

Next week I start Mass BB with Bench, Squat, Row and Abs.