Metabolic Triad Training, 2022: Cycle VII

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
6,617
113
Saint Paul
Assessment of Last Cycle. Not the best, but I think I've settled on a schedule that will work most days, and that's to walk in the morning, and then do the lifting and conditioning around noon, before lunch. Ideally, one of the latter two would be done at the end of the afternoon, in order to spread out the metabolic boosts throughout the day, but there's just too much that can come up at that time of day.

Also dropped 15 pounds, so that's good. I sort of stumbled into time-restricted eating, not knowing that Abide was doing this too. It's pretty easy to go the first hours of wakefulness without eating. I think I'll continue to lose weight if I can get more consistent and get all three Metabolic Modalities in everyday. Conditioning seems particularly effective for weight loss, but hard to tell with three other variables in play.

Goals for this Cycle. More consistency in getting all three Metabolic Modalities--Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Glycolytic (conditioning)--in six days a week. Will also try a little harder to get a daily Mobility session in. My right calf and hammie got tight last cycle, reminding me of the importance of stretching and some massage work.

Mobility/Balance/Groundwork. As I discussed with Abide, based on a Dan John article he shared, a good routine would be:

1. Stretching/Sun Salutations.
2. Summersault
3. Turkish getup
4. Stand on one foot for ten seconds.
5. Hang from a bar for 30 seconds.
6. Squat down, hold for 30 seconds, and stand up.

Aerobic. Just continue to walk about two miles a day, hitting five of my neighborhood's hills. My knees seem fine with that. Ideally, I would get in one longer bicycle ride once a week, but with winter here now, that probably won't be happening anytime soon.

Anaerobic.
We just have four weeks, so for the lifting, I'll try to at least get everything up to their Target loads in the first training block by the end of the cycle.

Screenshot (33).png

I've simplified my system more. Now the Pulldowns, Bench Press, and Pendlay Rows are all the same. And those three lifts, along with the Squat have the same ramp increments: the second Ramp is twenty pounds heavier than the first Ramp, then the third and fourth go up by ten pounds, and then finally the Target set goes up another five pounds. For the Overhead Press, I go up in ten-pound increments and then either add 2.5 or 5 pounds to get to the target set. For the Deadlift, the increments are +20 +20 +15 +10. I might try to pyramid down after the Target sets, to the fourth or third Ramp, to get in some more volume. There's also a chance I'll use a timer to keep the period in between sets a bit stricter.

Glycolytic. I found ten minutes of conditioning feels about right. So that's ten minutes on the Concept II Rower and ten 100-foot, one-minute intervals on the Torque sled. No real goals but I suppose it would be nice to eventually get down to two-minutes per 500 meters on the Rower, or 2500 meters total over 10 minutes. For the Sled, I guess I could have the goal of working up to the second resistance level, or possibly shorter rest periods in between each 100-foot push, so a few more intervals for a ten-minute session. Maybe start with 12 fifty-second intervals.

---------------Week 1: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.04
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. Nice and sunny.

Monday, 22.12.05
MORNING
Aerobic
1.2 walk with dog through woods and mid-century neighborhood. 75ft.

Tuesday, 22.12.06
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Upper Body
PD: 3 @ 115/135/145/155/160/155/145
OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95/92.5/85

Wasn't quite feeling it. But I did try my new GymBoss mini-MAX timer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BR380O2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I started with a one-minute interval between Ramp 5 and 4, then 1:15 between 4 and 3, 1:30 between 3 and 2, 1:45 between 2 and 1, 2:00 between, 1 and 2, and 1:45 between 2 and 3. Seems like a good experiment. It keeps me rolling efficiently. I also have a program starting at 2 minutes instead of 1, again with 15 second increments per Ramp change, for the lower body lifts or when the weights get heavier.

Wednesday, 22.12.07
NOON
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins @ M-Int, 2096 total meters.

New focus is on average minutes/seconds per 500 meters. That seems to be a better motivator because you can see it change instantly.

Anaerobic: Lower Body

SQ: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/155/165/175

Got interrupted, didn't come back. Right calf felt tight again, gotta start doing the Mobility component everyday.

EARLY AFTERNOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Thursday, 22.12.08
NOON
Anaerobic: Upper Body
PD: 3 @ 115/135/145/155/160/155/145
OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95/97.5/95/85
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155/160/155/145
RW: 3 @ 135/145/155/160

Friday, 22.12.09
MORNING
Aerobic
1.2 walk with dog through woods and mid-century neighborhood. 75ft.

NOON
Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins @ M-Int, 1989 total meters.

Saturday, 22.12.10
Fixed some tiling in the shower.


---------------Week 2: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.11
AFTERNOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Monday, 22.12.12
MORNING
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

NOON
Anaerobic: Lower Body
DL: 3 @ 135/185/195/205/215/225
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135

Felt a little something on the Squat. Just need to do them more often.

Glycolytic: Pull
Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1829 total meters.

Took it easy for the first ten minutes, then did the last minute at 2mins per 500m. Maybe I should try intervals a bit more.

Did some stretching in between sets.

Tuesday, 22.12.13
LATE AFTERNOON
Anaerobic: Upper Body
PD: 3 @ 115/135/145/155/160
OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95

Limited time, but at least I got something in.

Wednesday, 22.12.14
MORNING
Aerobic
1.2 walk with dog through woods and mid-century neighborhood. 65ft. Lots of slush. The dog loved running around in it.

Thursday, 22.12.15

Friday, 22.12.16
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Saturday, 22.12.17



---------------Week 3: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.18

Monday, 22.12.19
MORNING
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Tuesday, 22.12.20
AFTERNOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. 5F, -12WC. Almost cold enough to wear socks.

Wednesday, 22.12.21

Thursday, 22.12.22

Friday, 22.12.23

Saturday, 22.12.24



---------------Week 4: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.25
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Monday, 22.12.26
More home improvement.

Tuesday, 22.12.27
LATE AFTERNOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Wednesday, 22.12.28
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. Slushy.

Thursday, 22.12.29
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

Friday, 22.12.30
NOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. Finally got a proper winter coat. It got a bit warm on the hills, but was otherwise perfect at 20F with just a t-shirt underneath. Should be good for the coldest days with more layers underneath.

Saturday, 22.12.31
AFTERNOON
Aerobic
2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft.

And that's a wrap. Time for a New Year's resolution: consistency!

 
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Assessment of Last Cycle. Was a good cycle for weight loss, lost roughly 12-13 pounds over the course of 6 weeks. The intermittent fasting cycle has been hugely beneficial.

The weights have regressed pretty significanlty. Once I post up the last workouts I will review the drop in numbers.

Goals for this Cycle. Continued weight loss, would love to get under the 200 mark by the end of the year. Weight loss has stalled in the last week and I am sitting at 205.

This will also be a down cycle for me. The weights are getting heavy and I am often going into the gym tired. Think it's time for a 4 week rest period.


---------------Week 1: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.04

Monday, 22.12.05
WU - Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 3@185, 225, 225, 225
DL - 2@185, 275, 295, 315, 1@325
Bent rows - 8@135, 5@185, 185, 185

Tuesday, 22.12.06

Wednesday, 22.12.07
WU - FSquats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
FSquats - 3@135, 155, 175, 185, 195, 205, 215, 1@225
Pull downs - 15@130, 13@145, 10@160, 15@130
Press - 3x5@135

Thursday, 22.12.08

Friday, 22.12.09
WU - Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 5x10@135
Low pulls - 20@130, 15@145, 10@160
Bench - 10@135, 5@205, 225,225, 4@225
Calf raises - 3x10@285
Inc Bench - 10@135, 135, 8@135

Saturday, 22.12.10

---------------Week 2: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.11
WU - FSquats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
FSquats - 3@155, 185, 185, 185, 1@185 hurt my toe snowboarding and it was knocking me off balance here.
Pull downs - 12@145, 10@145, 12@145, 10@145, 15@130
Press - 3x8@115
GHDSU - 2x10

Monday, 22.12.12
Row - 15 min 3300m
DL - 5@135, 225, 3@275, 1@295, 315
PU - 5x20
Ab roll outs - 3x10
Sit ups - 2x10

Tuesday, 22.12.13

Wednesday, 22.12.14

Thursday, 22.12.15
Lunchtime
WU - Squats/Pu
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 5@185, 3@225, 225, 2@225 - the bar was tearing into my skin for some reason
Bench - 10@135, 5@205, 225, 225,255
Calf raises - 3x10@300

Ran out of time so had to cut the lifts short.

Friday, 22.12.16
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Fsquats - 5@135, 155, 175, 195, 3@215, 1@225
Pull downs - 10@145, 160, 175
Press - 8@105, 5@125, 3x5@135

Saturday, 22.12.17
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 3@185, 205, 225, 235, 245, 255
Bent rows - 10@135, 8@155, 155, 155, 155
Bench - 10@135, 8@185, 7@205, 8@205


---------------Week 3: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.18

Monday, 22.12.19
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Row - 20 min 4300m
Press - 8@115, 7@115, 8@115
Pull downs - 15@130, 130, 130

Tuesday, 22.12.20

Wednesday, 22.12.21

Thursday, 22.12.22
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 3@185, 205, 225, 245, 1@255
Low pulls - 12@145, 10@160, 175, 8@190
Bench - 10@135, 5@205, 225, 225, 225
Calf raises - 10@315, 315, 315, 18@225

Friday, 22.12.23

Saturday, 22.12.24
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 3@185, 185, 185
Pull downs - 10@130, 145, 160, 8@175
DL - 5@135, 3@225, 275, 295, 1@315, 335, 355
Press - 5@135, 135, 135, 135, 135

---------------Week 4: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 22.12.25

Monday, 22.12.26

Tuesday, 22.12.27
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
FSquats - 3@135, 155, 175, 185, 205, 225 Fail
Bent rows - 8@135, 155, 175, 175, 5@175
Bench - 10@175, 5@205, 225, 4 @225, 5@225
Pull ups - 5,8,7

Wednesday, 22.12.28

Thursday, 22.12.29
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 3@185, 205, 225, 235
Pull downs - 10@145, 160, 8@175
Press - 5@135, 145, 3@155, 5@135
Push press - 3@175
GHDSU - 3x10

Friday, 22.12.30

Saturday, 22.12.31
WU Squats/PU
Planks - 3@40sec
Squats - 5@185, 3@205, 225
Bent rows - 8@135, 135, 135
DL - 5@225, 3@275, 2@295, 1@315, 335, 355
Bench - 10@135, 5@205, 225, 225, 225
Pull ups - 8,7,6
 
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Assessment of Last Cycle. Not the best, but I think I've settled on a schedule that will work most days, and that's to walk in the morning, and then do the lifting and conditioning around noon, before lunch. Ideally, one of the latter two would be done at the end of the afternoon, in order to spread out the metabolic boosts throughout the day, but there's just too much that can come up at that time of day.

Also dropped 15 pounds, so that's good. I sort of stumbled into time-restricted eating, not knowing that Abide was doing this too. It's pretty easy to go the first hours of wakefulness without eating. I think I'll continue to lose weight if I can get more consistent and get all three Metabolic Modalities in everyday. Conditioning seems particularly effective for weight loss, but hard to tell with three other variables in play.

Goals for this Cycle. More consistency in getting all three Metabolic Modalities--Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Glycolytic (conditioning)--in six days a week. Will also try a little harder to get a daily Mobility session in. My right calf and hammie got tight last cycle, reminding me of the importance of stretching and some massage work.

Mobility/Balance/Groundwork. As I discussed with Abide, based on a Dan John article he shared, a good routine would be:

1. Stretching/Sun Salutations.
2. Summersault
3. Turkish getup
4. Stand on one foot for ten seconds.
5. Hang from a bar for 30 seconds.
6. Squat down, hold for 30 seconds, and stand up.

Speaking of mobility work, I have really noticed a significant decline of mobility when snowboarding lately, also not only mobility when getting off the ground and strapping in but balance as well. I find myself falling more often when I am going slow which was not an issue before.

Thanks for the reminder about the mobility, it's becoming very apparent I need to add these in. I also saw a football player doing a good mobility drill where he went from wide legged stretch on the floor to a shoulder stand where his feet hit the ground behind him. I have done it a couple times and seems a good first step into summersaults.

Yep the IF is working for me, I usually start eating around 10am and stop before 6pm usually before 4pm most days though. I am up around 4am most mornings so I think the 6 hour fast in the AM is the beneficial part for me, oh and the restricted late night snacking and drinking too. However I definitely feel a complete lack of energy in the gym and do not have the energy to hit longer sets anymore. I think I will keep it up for a while although I really need to get the protein in more regularly.
 
Speaking of mobility work, I have really noticed a significant decline of mobility when snowboarding lately, also not only mobility when getting off the ground and strapping in but balance as well. I find myself falling more often when I am going slow which was not an issue before.

Thanks for the reminder about the mobility, it's becoming very apparent I need to add these in. I also saw a football player doing a good mobility drill where he went from wide legged stretch on the floor to a shoulder stand where his feet hit the ground behind him. I have done it a couple times and seems a good first step into summersaults.

Yep the IF is working for me, I usually start eating around 10am and stop before 6pm usually before 4pm most days though. I am up around 4am most mornings so I think the 6 hour fast in the AM is the beneficial part for me, oh and the restricted late night snacking and drinking too. However I definitely feel a complete lack of energy in the gym and do not have the energy to hit longer sets anymore. I think I will keep it up for a while although I really need to get the protein in more regularly.
Yah, I'm really stiffening up. I've been doing some handy work around the house with my brother, and I notice how hard it is to get up off the floor. I used to be able to do the splits!

My IF window is more like 8-9 hours, but it does seem to help. I haven't noticed any dropoff in energy or strength, but I'm still lifting baby loads. Last week was the first time I felt I could push things a bit. Maybe it's taken this long for the blood pressure meds' side effects to wear off? I stopped taking them about mid September.

I'm also trying to get back on an early morning schedule. I used to wake up between 4 and 5am. I tolerate fasting quite well, but once I eat that first meal, I definitely feel hungry several hours later.
 
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Yah, I'm really stiffening up. I've been doing some handy work around the house with my brother, and I notice how hard it is to get up off the floor. I used to be able to do the splits!

My IF window is more like 8-9 hours, but it does seem to help. I haven't noticed any dropoff in energy or strength, but I'm still lifting baby loads. Last week was the first time I felt I could push things a bit. Maybe it's taken this long for the blood pressure meds side effects to wear off? I stopped taking them about mid September.

I'm also trying to get back on an early morning schedule. I used to wake up between 4 and 5am. I tolerate fasting quite well, but once I eat that first meal, I definitely feel hungry several hours later.

Yeah they say medications take a month to work, I would imagine a month or more for your body to reset is likely. I am curious if IF does support blood pressure though, I know it impacts insulin levels and a whole host of other benefits.

I think I may need to lengthen my window to 8-10 hours when I focus back on lifting performance, I also notice a difference in some light headedness after heavy lifts as well. This could just be me cutting too many calories though.
 
Yeah they say medications take a month to work, I would imagine a month or more for your body to reset is likely. I am curious if IF does support blood pressure though, I know it impacts insulin levels and a whole host of other benefits.

I think I may need to lengthen my window to 8-10 hours when I focus back on lifting performance, I also notice a difference in some light headedness after heavy lifts as well. This could just be me cutting too many calories though.
Yah, a friend tried to explain how IF helps the mitochondria or something. Anyway, I know from my travels and fieldwork that most people don't eat constantly like modern Americans. We're probably not designed for that.

Sounds like you're overdoing it. Muscle mass also burns a lot of calories, so I wouldn't sacrifice strength for short-term weight loss. I've been cutting down a little bit in portions for lunch and dinner, but not enough to affect performance in exercise or daily tasks. I'm mostly trusting the IF and exercise consistency to work.
 
Yeah I have been eating a bit more with longer windows, weight is holding steady at 204ish. I'd like to try to drop a pound a week moving forward but it fluctuates so much. I should probably look at the weekly trend and base it off that. And here it is

10/22-28 - 216
10/29-11/4 - 213.9 (-2.1)
11/5-11 - 213.4 (-0.5)
11/12-18 - 211.5 (-1.9)
11/19-25 - 209.1 (-2.4)
11/26-12/2 - 204.6 (-4.5)
12/3-9 - 204.1 (-0.5)
12/10-Today - 204.4 (0.3)

So yes a bit stagnant the last couple weeks.

I have been thinking about changing up the plan a little bit and maybe do something like the 531 program for the next cycle. I have been running this one for most of the year so some change will probably be good.