Civilian training log [BJJ & SE]

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Civilian training log [BJJ & SE]

Post by Northerner »

Hello all! I intend to keep this as a training log for long term progress as I work my way through various TB protocols.

Personal:
Male, 37 years old, Scandinavia
192 cm / ~6'4"
90kg / ~200lbs
I work from home, my job is sedentary and I have no military background.

Background:
Strength training on and off for many years. Usually for a couple of months at a time, then stopping due to minor injury, illness or life in general. I have never been very strong, my personal bests are about 110kgx6 in bench press, 180kg deadlift, 140kg squat.
I haven't done any running or other cardio in the past 20 years.

Last year I decided it was time to get my cardio working and to get back in the gym again, and to keep going for the long term.
I started with C25k in november 2021 and switched to TB after a couple of weeks when I could easily jog for 20 minutes.
I have a history of minor injuries from squatting and deadlifting that keep flaring up despite stretching, coaching from both powerlifters and weightlifters and form checks. So I will omit these two from my workout and instead do trap bar deadlifts.


Tactical Barbell experience:
TB has been a life changer for me when it comes to continuity with my training. I've had some minor pains and aches, but I've made it my goal to follow the program outline exactly as written at least once for every protocol I try.

So far I've completed:
  • 8 weeks of base building: As written in TBII. Got great results in cardio, daily energy and well-being.
  • 6 weeks of Operator/black: By the book. Went decently well but had some issues with squat and deadlifts
  • 6 weeks of Operator/black: Developed a bit of wrist pain half way through. I figured it was from the bench press so I cut that out for the last 4 weeks. It didn't improve and I later realised it was more likely from bad ergonomics at work. It's improving now.
  • 3 weeks of Green progressive SE protocol to let my wrist keep resting. Bought a trap bar.

Goals:
In order of importance:
  1. Health, well being and continuity.
  2. Increased strength [120kg BP, 180kg TPDL, 15 strict ring pull ups]
  3. Increased cardio [Work towards advanced HIC levels. Achieve and keep 10k run under 1h and 5k run under 24 min]
  4. Not be fat
  5. Hypertrophy
  6. Aesthetics

Current block:
I am now in my 3rd block of 6 weeks of operator/black. After this I will either run one more block of operator/black or try OMS. It would be nice to drop down to 87kg during this block but that is off less importance.

Current cluster:
Trap bar deadlift, 1RM based on 140kg x 3
Weighted pull up, 1RM based on 110kg x 5 bodyweight included. These are actually rack chin ups due to low ceiling height in my home gym.
Bench Press: 1RM conservatively set at 100kg x 1. I will run bench press in higher rep scheme that I borrowed from the grey man protocol for this block, just to keep the wrists safe

HICS will be hill sprints, 600m resets and my own designed GC. Maybe some Fobbits.
E will be LSS run only.
Last edited by Northerner on Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:19 pm, edited 8 times in total.

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

Black operator block 3, W1.
Week one is done!

Mon: Max strength. Bench press 4x8 - 70kg. TPDL 3x5 - 102.5kg. WPU 3x5 - BW.
Tue: 10 hill sprints EMOM, small hill near my house
Wed: Max strength. Bench press 4x8 - 70kg. TPDL 3x5 - 102.5kg. WPU 3x5 - BW.
Thur: 10 hill sprints EMOM, small hill near my house
Fri: Max strength. Bench press 4x8 - 70kg. TPDL 3x5 - 102.5kg. WPU 3x5 - BW. Also did an extra LSS run, 7km or so in about 45mins.
Sat: Rest
Sun: 6 hill sprints at a different, longer hill with some longer rest also

All in all a good week!
Last edited by Northerner on Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Barkadion
Posts: 4663
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:09 am
Location: Massachusetts, USA

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Barkadion »

Welcome and good luck with the training!
"Man is what he reads." - Joseph Brodsky

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

Barkadion wrote: Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:20 pm Welcome and good luck with the training!
Thank you for the warm welcome!


Today was W2, D1 - Max strength:
WPU: 100kg (BW+10kg) 3 x 5
Bench Press: 75kg 4 x 8
TPDL: 117.5kg: 3 x 5

All went well

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

W2D2

HIC, 12 short hill Sprints EMOM
11 mins 12 seconds
Avg HR 168
Max HR 198 (very likely to be inaccurate)

I think 20 emom Sprints on this hill would be a good goal and HIC benchmark, so I'll keep working towards that.

I'm lucky to live right by a trail that follows the shoreline and I plan most of my hics around it. It ends with this short hill which takes about 12 seconds to sprint.

I took a swim right by the hill afterwards and it was a good and refreshing workout!

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

I've got 4 weeks off work, which ironically makes it harder to get the training done since I usually work out during my lunch break. I'll also be away from home a lot. HICs will be easy to squeeze in, but I need to be home for the strength training. So the next supposed 4 weeks of this block will probably last more like 5 weeks. But some extra rest days won't hurt.

Finished W2.
W2D3:
WPU: 100kg (BW+10kg) 3 x 5
Bench Press: 75kg 4 x 8
TPDL: 117.5kg: 3 x 5

W2D4
LSS run 6.3 km in 40min 46s

W2D5
WPU: 100kg (BW+10kg) 3 x 5
Bench Press: 75kg 4 x 8
TPDL: 117.5kg: 3 x 5

W2D6
Fobbits with 400m jog and 20 swings with 20kg kettlebell
4 or 5 rounds about 25mins total

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

W3 Done, managed to get it in with out too many extra rest days

W3D1: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +22.5kg 3 x 3. TPDL 132.5kg 3x3
W3D2: HIC (easy) : Fobbit, jogs with 3 rep bear complex between, 20mins
W3D3: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +22.5kg 3 x 3. TPDL I warmed up but core felt smoked and hard to brace so I sat this one out
W3D4: HIC (easy) 600m resets, 3 rounds
W3D5: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +22.5kg 3 x 3. TPDL 132.5kg 3x3
W3D6: 2.4km (1.5 mile) run 11 mins 13 seconds

It was stupid of me to set a goal of dropping 3kg during this block since I'm on vacation. I'll be happy if I keep my current weight because I intend to enjoy these few weeks of summer that scandinavia provides full on, including beer and ice cream. :D

Despite this I didnt recover enough for this weeks TPDLs. I think I would benefit from switching to a 90% TM on TPDL and maybe on the WPUs also. I'll do next week as planned since its 75% and reevaluate.

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

Week 4 done albeit in two weeks.

W4D1: Max strength: BP 70 x 4 x 8. WPU +5kg 3 x 5. TPDL 110kg 3x5
W4D2: HIC 10 short hill sprints EMOM
W4D3: Max strength: BP 70 x 4 x 8. WPU +5kg 3 x 5. TPDL 110kg 3x5
W4D4: HIC 10 short hill sprints EMOM
W4D5: Max strength: BP 70 x 4 x 8. WPU +5kg 3 x 5. No DL today as my back was feeling sore in a bad way
W4D6: 2.4km (1.5mile run) mid tempo, 11min 17 seconds
W4D7-14: rest :D

Next week I will do 1 set / day deadlift instead of 3 as I don't seem to recover well enough right now.

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

Week 5 done. Switched one HIC session for E because my sister wanted to run with me.
Workouts aren't really in this order but for simplicity's sake:

W5D1: Max strength: BP 75 x 4 x 6. WPU +20kg 3 x 5. TPDL 125kg 1x5
W5D2: HIC: 10 short hill sprints EMOM
W5D3: Max strength: BP 75 x 4 x 6. WPU +20kg 3 x 5. TPDL 125kg 1x5
W5D4: E: 4.15km run 26 mins
W5D5: Max strength: BP 75 x 4 x 6. WPU +20kg 3 x 5. TPDL 125kg 1x5
W5D6: E: 6.3km run 41 mins
W5D7: rest

Northerner
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:42 pm

Re: Civilian training log

Post by Northerner »

Finished up week 6 and thereby this third block of Black Operator. Weighed in at 89kg today so -1kg during the block.
I'm feeling a bit worn out and I'm looking forward to changing things up. So I'll take a couple of days off and contemplate my next block. Most likely it will be Mass focused with some LSS runs. I feel that I need a break from Black Operator for a little while.

W6D1: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +30kg 3 x 2. TPDL 140 1x2
W6D2: HIC (easy): 5k run in 30mins
W6D3: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +30kg 3 x 2. TPDL 140 1x2
W6D4: HIC (easy): 6 hill sprints emom
W6D5: Max strength: BP 80 x 4 x 3. WPU +30kg 3 x 2. TPDL 140 1x2
W6D6: HIC (easy): 6 hill sprints emom
W6D7: rest

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