Metabolic Triad Training, 2021: Cycle V

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
6,617
113
Saint Paul
Assessment of last cycle. The consistency for the first half of the cycle was pretty good, but then fell off in the second when a family member became sicker again.

The ramping protocol continues to work well. I tweaked it a bit during the cycle a few different ways:

1. Lowered the first Ramp set 20 pounds below the next one, instead of 5-15 pounds, in order to provide a smoother transition between the last plate-determined warmup set and this first ramp set.

2. Introduced optional back-off sets to add a little extra volume without increasing the intensity. Two additional back-off sets using the last two ramp set loads, for example, provide about 40% more volume.

3. Gave up on any strict programming of Full-body or Push-Pull split workouts. Now I just take it day-by-day, which provides for greater flexibility, although most days I seem to end up doing the split. My shoulders continue to tolerate back-to-back lifting reasonably well, but I’m sometimes pretty stiff to start with. On days when I’m really pressed for time, I try to get in a least the Overhead Press or Pulldowns, to keep the shoulders lubed & loose.

4. Adjusted the inter-lift ratios, because progress on the Overhead Press seemed to be stalling. It occurred to me that, most likely, the heavier lifts might have carryover to the lighter lifts, but not vice-a-versa, since the former recruit greater muscle mass, especially among the prime movers. So all the other lifts are now heavier in relation to the Overhead Press, and the Squat is the heaviest, relative to the Iron Ratio, because I think the Squat has the most inter-lift carryover of all the lifts. So,

I went from a strict Iron Ratio (2:3:4:5) of

50% of Back Squat = Overhead Press
75% of Back Squat = Bench Press/Pulldown/Pendlay Row
100% = Back Squat
125% of Back Squat = Deadlift

To the tweaked Ratios of

43% of Back Squat = Overhead Press
71% of Back Squat = Bench Press/Pulldown/Pendlay Row
100% = Back Squat
115% of Back Squat = Deadlift

These tweaks will lead to the eventual 3RM plate goals (and their projected 1RMs) of

Overhead Press
3RM x 135 (bar + two 45s) = 1RM x 150

Bench Press, Row, Pulldown
3 RM x 225 (bar + four 45s) = 1RM x 250

Squat
3RM x 315 (bar + six 45s) = 1RM x 350

Deadlift
3RM x 365 (bar + six 45s & two 25s) = 1RM x 405

The tweaked ratios are still within range of what at least some online trainer articles claim are normal, and still roughly follow the Iron Ratio proportions. There is a chance that the Bench Press might have to be adjusted with respect to the upper body pulls, if the latter become proportionately harder with heavier loads.

5. With a more Squat-centric approach, I tweaked my chart so that each training block goes up five pounds on the Squat, instead of going up two and half pounds for the Overhead Press.

6. With the heavier lifts, and especially if I get in two back-off sets for most lifts, I think it may be enough to just get in two rather than three Push-Pull splits per week, although the latter remains my goal. So I began keeping track of how many days a week I was getting in each of the three Metabolic triad components. This accounting helps a bit with accountability. The results from Cycle IV are:

Cycle IV.2021 Walk.Lift.jpg

First half of Cycle
I got in at least a walk 96% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 82% for all days of the week, which is almost six days a week.
I lifted 71% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 61% for all days of the week, which is a little more than four days a week.
On the machines, I only did HIIT 21% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 18% for all days of the week, which is just a little more than one day a week.

Second half of Cycle
I got in at least a walk 54% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 46% for all days of the week, which is a little more than three days a week.
I lifted 63% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 54% for all days of the week, which is a little less than four days a week.
On the machines, I only did HIIT 8% of the time on a six-day per workout schedule, and 7% for all days of the week, which is about once every two weeks.

Full Cycle
Over the full cycle, I averaged about four and a half days per week for walking, four days a week for lifting, and one day a week for conditioning.

The dog walks were pretty consistent for the fist half of the cycle. Then in the second half of the cycle there was a two-week span from the end of Week Five to the middle of Week Seven when I skipped them for health reasons, when air quality was poor due to the fires in Canada. And then again at the end of the cycle, when a family member was hospitalized. Conditioning on the machines after lifting was once again abysmal, but for the most part I focused my lifting on getting the loads up to the new tweaked ratios during the first half of the cycle, and experimenting a bit with back-off sets during the second.

Goals for this cycle. I will continue with the same “Ramp to Target” program, and Cycle IV’s tweaks, including the option of doing two back-off sets with the last two ramp sets for extra volume. I’ll continue to progress the Squat by five pounds for each successive training block.

What's new: I’m going to make most of the Ramp sets end in ‘five,’ except for the Pulldowns, where it’s more natural to go up in plates of ten. It’s just too tedious dealing with 2.5 plates on all the Ramp sets in order to end in ‘zero’ whenever the Target or last Ramp set ends in zero and I subtract by 10 or 20 for ramp sets 1-3. The Overhead Press will also progress by five pounds, but there will be a few blocks where it holds constant, so I may use 2.5-pound plates for a week or two, to ease the increase between the old and new Target sets before going up a full five pounds. The Deadlift will progress in either ten- or fifteen-pound increments.

In order to soften these jumps a bit, I’ve made the differences between the last Ramp set and Target set a bit less. The last ramp set will be only five pounds less than the Target set for most of the Squats, and all of the upper body lifts. The difference will be ten for Deadlifts and the heavier squats towards the bottom of the chart. Therefore, if I do two back-off sets, the Target workset will be preceded and followed by a ramp workset load that’s very close, almost like straight sets. The second-to-last Ramp set will then be lowered to the next plate combo ending in ‘five.’ In most instances therefore, either the Target set or the last Ramp set will end in zero, requiring 2.5-pound plates, but rarely both, except for the Deadlifts and Squats towards the bottom of the chart.

Ramp to Target.5 Ramps.New Ratios.SQ 5-lb.21.08.jpg

In order to make the increases between training blocks work, I may adopt the double progression model I sort of tried in my Max 1+ program of a few cycles ago (https://www.t-nation.com/training/progressive-overload-mistakes/). In this case, after I start a new training block, I may start with fewer reps per set on the Target and last Ramp worksets, and then only progress once each is done for full reps comfortably and the time between sets goes reasonably quickly. I may also increase some lifts during a block, like going up by five pounds with the Deadlift, or 2.5 pounds with the Overhead Press, to make the increases more gradual. Ideally, it would be nice to get in two, 4-week training blocks per cycle, but at least one should be practicable. I’m going to start off with everything a little bit heavy, so for this cycle only one training block may be doable.

I’ll keep walking the dog most mornings, and continue trying to get in as many hills as possible. I may try running up the easier hills and the last bit of the two steepest hills.

I will continue to try to get the HIIT conditioning in after lifting, using the Airdyne on Push days, and the Rower on Pull days.

Cycle V 2021 Ideal Schedule.jpg
Finally, I will try to get in some mobility work after the walks.


---------------Week 1: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.15
Family member came home from hospital.

Monday, 21.08.16
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
SLDL: 3 @ 135/185/225
DL: 2 @ 245/275; 1 @ 295/305

Today the goal was just to get the Deadlift up over 300. Now that that mental/physical hurdle has been cleared, I'll build on it until I can do 315 for three reps, one of the goals of this cycle.

Tuesday, 21.08.17
LATE MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi walk around Como Lake with dog and daughter.

Wednesday, 21.08.18
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 130/150/170/180; 2 @ 190/180; 3 @ 170
RW: 3 @ 135/155/175/185

Decided just to finish the Pull workout from Monday. It's going to be harder for a while to get in complete workouts, taking care of a sick family member and running our son to sports practices and games six days a week right around dinner time. Nonetheless, the heavier weights are feeling good. I like the idea of loads/sets/reps that might take a whole cycle to achieve.

Thursday, 21.08.19
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog. Already 86F.

Friday, 21.08.20
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
BP: 3 @ 135/155/175; 2 @ 185; 1 @ 195

I'm swamped with fulltime caretaking. It's not so much the time--there's always an hour of free-time somewhere--as the unpredictability of schedule. Anyway, got up to my new BP Target load, albeit just for one rep. Tomorrow I'll try to do the same for the Squat. Then I'll have done all the new Target loads for at least one rep and have the rest of the cycle to get them up all up to three, hopefully all with two back-off sets as well.

Saturday, 21.08.21
MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi walk with dog and daughter. Nice and cool for a change.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
OP: 3 @ 75/95/105/110/115/110/105
SQ: 2 @ 225/245

Something didn't feel right on the Squat, so I shut it down.

Kind of a lackluster start to the cycle, hope it picks up some next week.

---------------Week 2: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.22
EARLY AFTERNOON
Persistence
1.8 mi walk with dog and daughter. Warm, but not humid with a bit of a breeze. I'm fasting today, so I'm hoping the walk will help kick my metabolism into fat-burning mode more quickly.

Monday, 21.08.23
Had my procedure in the morning. A success this time. My mother-in-law arrived in the afternoon to help out.

Tuesday, 21.08.24

Wednesday, 21.08.25
MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi "Four Hills" walk with dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 130/150/170/180
DL: 3 @ 225/235/245; 2 @ 255/275; 1 @ 295/305

Sort of moderate priming after too much time off.

Thursday, 21.08.26
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi walk with dog and daughter, no big hills.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
BP: 3 @ 155/175/185/190

The last rep at 190 was a little hard so I stopped. I'll try to get in the Squat and Overhead Press Friday.

I guess the plan is to get up to full loads and reps by mid-cycle or so, then work to make everything more comfortable and the time in between sets faster, while, hopefully, getting in more conditioning work.

Friday, 21.08.27
LATE MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi walk with dog and daughter.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
OP: 3 @ 75/95/105/110/115
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/185; 2 @ 225/245; 1 @ 255/265

Saturday, 21.08.28
LATE MORNING
Persistence
1.6 mi "Three Hills" walk with dog.

---------------Week 3: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.29
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog. Pleasant Summer Sunday morning.

Monday, 21.08.30
MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi "Four Hills" walk with dog.

Tuesday, 21.08.31
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog. Nice to begin in the chill and work up to a mild sweat.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 100/110/120/130/140/150/160

Wednesday, 21.09.01
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
RW: 3 @ 135/155/165/175/185
DL: 2 @ 225/255/265/275

OK, that's enough priming unless I miss some more time.

Thursday, 21.09.02
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
BP: 3 @ 155/175/185/190; 1 @ 195
OP: 3 @ 75/95/105/110; 1 @ 115

Well, I think I'm proving that doing a lift once a week isn't enough for me. Minimal two times, maximal three times. At least I'm building back up to my target loads.

Friday, 21.09.03
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
SQ: 3 @ (95/135/185)/225/245

I guess I'm still priming the Squat. Didn't feel right to go much heavier. Tired, a lot of errands today.

Saturday, 21.09.04
NOON
Persistence
2.5 mi "Woods, Fields & Campus" walk with son and dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/150/170/180/190; 1.5 @ 195
RW: 3 @ 135/155/185
DL: 3 @ 225/255; 2 @ 275/295

Felt a little something in my right shoulder blade, so avoided going heavier on the Row and Deadlift.

---------------Week 4: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.05
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Monday, 21.09.06
LATE MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Tuesday, 21.09.07
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Given the current difficulty of working out consistently, due to caretaking of a family member, I think I'll take a step back and reduce loads to about where they were at the end of last cycle. These two training blocks are kind of prequels to the chart above:

5 Ramps to Target.21.09.jpg

Hopefully, this will allow me to get in fuller workouts, replete with back-off sets and conditioning afterwards. One step back, two steps forward, eventually, I hope.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
SQ: 2 @ 225/235/245
OP: 3 @ 75/95

More priming, but at least I got something in. Don't know if I'll try to same Push workout tomorrow with increasing loads, or prime the Push workout similarly.

Wednesday, 21.09.08
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog. A bit chilly to start, nice.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/150/170/180/185
RW: 3 @ 135/155/165/175/185
(SLDL 3 @ 135/185/225)
DL: 3 @ 245/255/275

I think it was the right thing to deload a bit. Everything felt solid and doable, and the workout went fairly quickly at 35-40 minutes. Thirty minutes would be the ideal--less than 10 minutes for each of the two upper body lifts, and a little more than 10 minutes for the lower body lift of each split.

I'm going to try to be strict about getting in three reps for every set. Then once I can hit all the target loads for full reps, start working in the backoff sets. Can't lose sight of the importance of volume.

In the meantime, I think I'm going to limit the Deadlift to whatever the Squat is, in keeping with the idea that the latter bulletproofs me somewhat against injury in the former. So yesterday the Squat got up to Ramp 3, and that's where I stopped today with the Deadlift.

I'm giving up on HIIT conditioning for this half of the cycle, will try to start it in the second half.

Thursday, 21.09.09
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Friday, 21.09.10
AFTERNOON
Persistence
1 mi walk with kids and dog.

Saturday, 21.09.11
AFTERNOON
Persistence
1.3 mi walk with kids and dog in a regional park. Was our first outing without my wife.

---------------Week 5: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.12
EVENING
A little trash-talking tennis with the kids and dog.

Monday, 21.09.13
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Tuesday, 21.09.14
MID MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog. Ran up the last bit of two of the hills.

Wednesday, 21.09.15
MID MORNING
Persistence
2.2 mi "Three Hills & Hendon" walk with dog. I cut out the two smaller hills of the "Five Hills" walk, and added another long and steep hill. This added about 30 feet altitude gain and 1/5 of a mile. Beautiful early fall/late summer morning.

Thursday, 21.09.16

Friday, 21.09.17
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Memorial service is tomorrow. Will try to get back to lifting soon after that. Gotta stay healthy for the kids . . .

Saturday, 21.09.18



---------------Week 6: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.19
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Monday, 21.09.20
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Tuesday, 21.09.21
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Wednesday, 21.09.22
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Thursday, 21.09.23
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

I've been trying a time-restricted diet. I don't eat breakfast until after my mid-morning walk, then lunch 3-4 hours after that, then dinner around 6-7pm. So I fast 15-16 hours a day. It's pretty easy for me to do, we'll see if I get any results . . .

Friday, 21.09.24
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95
SQ: 3 @ 45/95; 2 @ 135

After a little more than two weeks off, I did a little priming. On the Squats I felt a pain in my right inner thigh, the first time I've felt something like that. So I shut it down. Still, felt good to be under the bar a bit. I think I may have already lost three pounds with the time-restricted dieting. Time will tell.

Saturday, 21.09.25
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.


---------------Week 7: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.26
MID-MORNING
Persistence
1.6 mi "Four Hills" walk with dog.

Monday, 21.09.27

Tuesday, 21.09.28

Wednesday, 21.09.29
MID-MORNING
Persistence
1.7 mi walk with dog around Como Lake after dropping off forgotten iPad at daughter's school.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160
SLDL: 3 @ 138/185/225
DL: 3 @ 225

A little priming . . .

Thursday, 21.09.30
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135

Friday, 21.10.01
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135

Still priming . . .

EVENING
Persistence
1.7 mi walk with dog and daughter around Como Lake. Beautiful if eerily warm summer night stroll in the dark, early fall evening. The murky water was calm and inviting of a paddle.

Saturday, 21.10.02
AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160


---------------Week 8: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.10.03
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Monday, 21.10.04
MID-MORNING
Persistence
2.2 mi "Four Biggest Hills" walk with dog. 194ft gain on the four biggest/steepest hills in the neighborhood. Beautiful fall day.

Tuesday, 21.10.05
EVENING
Persistence
1.5 mi walk with dog through a bit of a hilly golf course and surrounding neighborhood after dropping off son at flag football practice. As a non-golfer, I enjoyed the Dr. Seuss-like surrealism of the golf course landscape.

Wednesday, 21.10.06
MID-MORNING
Persistence
1.6 "Three Hills" walk with dog. Three out of four of the neighborhood's steepest/longest hills.

EARLY AFTERNOON
Resistance: Push
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/185
OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85
BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135

Intermittence
Airdyne: 1 x [1 min M-Int / 1 min L-Int] = 2 minutes

Finally got in all three metabolic modalities.

After a couple of weeks of loosely interpreted time-restricted dieting, I appear to have lost five pounds.

Thursday, 21.10.07
LATE-MORNING
Resistance: Pull
PD: 3 @ 100/120/140/160
SLDL: 3 @ 135/185; DL 3 @ 225
RW: 3 @ 135

Intermittence
Concept II Rower: 1 x [1 min L-Int / 1 min M-Int] = 2 minutes

NOON
Persistence
1.6 "2 Big/2 Small Hills" walk with dog. Subtracted one hill from the "Five Hills" walk to save a little time now that I'm trying to do all three modalities in one time slot.

Friday, 21.10.08
LATE MORNING
Resistance: Push
SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/185
OP: 3 @ 45/75/85/95
BP: 3 @ 45/95/135

Intermittence
Airdyne: 2 x [30 sec M-Int / 30 sec L-Int] = 2 minutes

I think I may like 30-second intervals over one-minute intervals, at least for the higher intensity portion. I can put a little more into it. Might still be nice to keep the lower intensity part at one minute. My heart was definitely pounding, and didn't completely recover before the next higher intensity blast, so a longer lower intensity break might be good.

NON
Persistence
1.6 mi "Four Hills" walk with dog. 128ft gain.

Saturday, 21.10.09
Opps, got caught up in yardwork and housecleaning.

That's a wrap.
 
Last edited:
Assessment of last cycle: I almost made it through a whole cycle without a back flare up so that is a positive note and the one that happened I was able to resolve pretty quickly. I have also increased my trail runs to 3 hours. So overall a really positive cycle.

Some good lifting points,
Back squat increased from 155 to 185 consistently
Front squat increased from 95 to 135 consistently
Press and Bench did not appreciate, I probably started too high.

Weight has been stagnant.

I am trying to lift with the boys more but with football practice and school starting this week it has been difficult to get to the gym. They want to hangout with friends.

Goals for this cycle: Race day is in 4 weeks at the end of week 4, so for the next 4 weeks I am going to try to keep the following goals.
1. I need to keep increasing time on feet and keep work on climbing at elevation.
2. Try to lose 5 pounds, begin counting calories again try to keep around 2,500 per day
3. Maintain lifting weights, reduce lifting to 2 days a week and keep the squat weights at 185 for back squats and 135 for front squats.
4. Stretch everyday
5. Take a walk everyday as Bare Lee suggests
6. Increase long run to 5 hours over the next 3 weeks
7. Daily corework

Lifting pattern will be
Day 1
Squats - @185
Press - @115 increasing by 5 every week if reps are made
Pendlay Rows - @115 increasing by 5 every week if reps are made

Day 2
Front Squats - @135
Bench - @185 increasing by 5 every week if reps are made
Pull ups - @BW will try to get to 5x7 by end of cycle

I am going to take Bare Lee's advice and try to give myself 2 days rest between each lifting day.

I will skip out on conditioning work for now.

So general schedule will be

upload_2021-8-16_8-16-49.png


---------------Week 1: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.15
Trail run - 2:40
Same as last weeks 3 hour run but I finished it must faster this week. The dixie fire smoke is gone so the air quality is significantly better likely making it easier to run faster. I did take a spill and tweaked my ankle and shoulder. They seem to be ok now.

Monday, 21.08.16
Morning walk - 47 min
Stretch and WU

Tuesday, 21.08.17
PM Trail run - 56 min
Stretch

Wednesday, 21.08.18
AM Lift
WU Stair Stepper 5 min
Squats - 5x5@185
Press - 5x5@115
P Rows - 5x5@135

Conditioning 3x
Farmers - 60m@140
Plank - 40sec

Thursday, 21.08.19

Friday, 21.08.20
Run - 2x1mile @ 8 minute

Saturday, 21.08.21
A couple walks

---------------Week 2: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.22
Trail run - 2:30

Monday, 21.08.23
Rest day

Tuesday, 21.08.24
A couple walks

Wednesday, 21.08.25
Front Squats - 5x5@145
Pull ups - 8x5
Press - 5x5@120
Farmers - 3x60m@70

Thursday, 21.08.26
High Trail Run - 4 hours

Friday, 21.08.27
Trail Run - 2:40

Saturday, 21.08.28
A couple walks

---------------Week 3: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.08.29
Trail run - 2 hours

Squats - 5x3@195
Bench - 5,5,5,3,3@190
Pull downs - 3x8@130
Low Pulls - 3x8@130
Farmers - 3x60m@185

Still lifting with the boys, although lately I am lifting more frequently than I wanted. It seems worth it though.

Monday, 21.08.30
Morning walk - 4k

Tuesday, 21.08.31
High Trail run - 1:40

Pm lifting
Front Squats - 5x5@145
Press - 5,5,5,5,4@120
PRows - 5x5@155
Core work

Wednesday, 21.09.01
AM walk
Rest day

Thursday, 21.09.02
Rest day

Friday, 21.09.03
Took a couple of walks

Saturday, 21.09.04
Trail run - 1:30


---------------Week 4: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.05
Hike with the little one

PM lift
Squats - 5x5@195
Bench - 5,5,5,5,4@190
Pull ups - 5x5
Farmers - 3x60m@70 per hand
Core - planks

Nice to see my squats finally have eclipsed the bench.

Monday, 21.09.06
Long run - 2:30
Sports with the kids and a bike ride
PM walk

Tuesday, 21.09.07
PM Lift
Front squats - 5x5@155
P Rows - 5x5@155
Bench - 5x5@195
Box jumps - 5x5@30"
Planks

Well the older one wanted to bench so I benched twice this week. I was able to push a little harder with a spotter and I guess my celebration about the squats was not accurate. Anyway last lift for the week.

Wednesday, 21.09.08
Swim - 30min
Walk - 5k

Thursday, 21.09.09
High Trail run - 60 min

Friday, 21.09.10
Rest day took a couple walks to loosen up. Will probably stretch in the evening.

Saturday, 21.09.11
Trail race - 10 hours 50k


---------------Week 5: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.12
PM Lift
Front squats - 5x5@135
Bench - 5x5@135
Planks

Monday, 21.09.13
Bike ride 80 min
Had to get some work done on the car so I dropped it off and rode home. It was a great ride home had paths the whole way. Biking is very different here, it's tough going up then a long period of coasting down.

Tuesday, 21.09.14
PM lift
Squats - 5x5@155
Bench - 5x5@185
Pull ups - 5x5
Farmers - 3x60m@70 per hand
Core - planks

Wednesday, 21.09.15
Run - 0:33

Thursday, 21.09.16
Walk - 0:54

Friday, 21.09.17

Saturday, 21.09.18



---------------Week 6: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.19
PM Lift
Front squats - 5x5@155
P Rows - 5x5@155
Bench - 5x5@195
Planks

Monday, 21.09.20
Short walk in the morning

Tuesday, 21.09.21
PM lift
Squats - 5x5@190
Bench - 5x5@190
Farmers - 3x60m@70 per hand
Core - planks

Wednesday, 21.09.22

Thursday, 21.09.23
Trail run - 2:00
Was hoping for a long 4-5 hour run but my ankles were killing me the whole run. I am not sure what is going on with them.

Friday, 21.09.24

Saturday, 21.09.25
Trail run 1:40


---------------Week 7: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.09.26
Trail run - 1:50

Monday, 21.09.27

Tuesday, 21.09.28

Wednesday, 21.09.29

Thursday, 21.09.30
Time seems to be getting away from me this week. My kids are not pushing the evening lifting so I haven't had a chance to get to the gym this week and work is pushing the other way so no running or morning lifts. Funny how reliant my mood is on running and lifting, as I can't seem to work up any motivation to get up early and get the work in.

Anyway I see Bare Lee is doing some time restricted eating, I am trying to do the same and limit eating to morning till early evening. I have my eye on a 100 miler next summer, not Leaville but much tougher so I think for the rest of this cycle and through the end of the year will be a focus on losing 20 pounds. I have been very fruststaredt with ankle pain the last couple of weeks. I do think limiting the running to longer runs has been helping, but I would imagine taking 20-30 pounds off will hopefully eliminate the issue and make those climbs easier.

Friday, 21.10.01

Saturday, 21.10.02
Trail run - 1:45


---------------Week 8: Cycle V---------------

Sunday, 21.10.03
Long hike - 2:30

Monday, 21.10.04
Tried to lift but ended up getting called away to pcik up one of the kids

Tuesday, 21.10.05
Short hike - 40mins

Wednesday, 21.10.06
Afternoon Lift
Squats - 5x5@185
Pull downs - 3x10@85
Press - 5x10@95
Farmers - 3x60m@70per
Planks

My shoulder has been very sensitive when doing rows/pull ups, i am wondering if I hurt the rotators? Benching and presses are still fine is pulling motions and then motions like wiping the counters. I am doing some external rotation exercises and keeping the pulls lighter.

Thursday, 21.10.07
Pretty sore from the squats yesterday...

Friday, 21.10.08
AM Lift
Front squats - 5x5@135
Bench - 5x10@135
Multigrip Rows - 3x20@110
Planks

Saturday, 21.10.09
Trail run - 1:45

Onto the next cycle!
 
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Looks good Abide. Good luck on the race training! I think lifting twice a week should at least help you maintain your current loads until the race is over.

I see you also find it easier to do a screen shot and upload it rather than try to get this program to do tab spacing. Even spacing with the space bar doesn't seem to work. But I can understand keeping costs down with such a small membership.

I kind of like breaking up the cycle into two halves. Helps me be more accountable, and it can also incorporate lesser goals or, in your case, special training. For me, I could, for example, focus on getting the conditioning up to speed for the second half of this cycle once I'm able to manage the new loads in the first half.
 
Looks good Abide. Good luck on the race training! I think lifting twice a week should at least help you maintain your current loads until the race is over.

I see you also find it easier to do a screen shot and upload it rather than try to get this program to do tab spacing. Even spacing with the space bar doesn't seem to work. But I can understand keeping costs down with such a small membership.

I kind of like breaking up the cycle into two halves. Helps me be more accountable, and it can also incorporate lesser goals or, in your case, special training. For me, I could, for example, focus on getting the conditioning up to speed for the second half of this cycle once I'm able to manage the new loads in the first half.
Thanks and yeah same here about breaking them up to 4 week sub-cycles. That's another phase length from Wendler I did enjoy. Although funny enough this morning I was thinking about really following the 8 week cycle and pushing for 8 weeks and then the next cycle dropping back to 50% of the cycle increase and doing the same. So essentially in the back squat if I do the following
Week 1 - 185
Week 2 - 190
Week 3 - 195
Week 4 - 195
Week 5 - 200
Week 6 - 200
Week 7 - 200
Week 8 - 205
I would then start the next cycle at 195 then try to keep the buildup more consistent each week. This might also be a good time add micro plates?

I feel like I am close to peaking out on the lifts this might be a good way to slow progress and build a better foundation.

Yeah the copy into columns didn't work and it seems to just paste excel copies into text. Screenshots are easy though you can just paste them in now.

Nice job on 305!
 
Thanks and yeah same here about breaking them up to 4 week sub-cycles. That's another phase length from Wendler I did enjoy. Although funny enough this morning I was thinking about really following the 8 week cycle and pushing for 8 weeks and then the next cycle dropping back to 50% of the cycle increase and doing the same. So essentially in the back squat if I do the following
Week 1 - 185
Week 2 - 190
Week 3 - 195
Week 4 - 195
Week 5 - 200
Week 6 - 200
Week 7 - 200
Week 8 - 205
I would then start the next cycle at 195 then try to keep the buildup more consistent each week. This might also be a good time add micro plates?

I feel like I am close to peaking out on the lifts this might be a good way to slow progress and build a better foundation.

Yeah the copy into columns didn't work and it seems to just paste excel copies into text. Screenshots are easy though you can just paste them in now.

Nice job on 305!
Thanks! It's always a little scary lifting heavy on the Squats and Deadlifts, but the ramping approach kind of lets you know where you're at on any particular day before you get to the workset. If the second-to-last or last ramp set feels heavy, then you can just reverse course and do two back-off sets and still get in decent volume and intensity while maintaining frequency. And it definitely feels good to be lifting heavier again. The results seem disproportionate to the weight increase, like there's a nonlinear threshold at some point.

I just got a decent pump from the heavier pulldowns and rows.

I think your two-steps-forward, one-step-backward cyclical approach could be just the right thing, not only for proper race preparation in the first half of this cycle, and building a better foundation, like you say, but also for really bullet-proofing your back for several months before you do anything too heavy. I might try something similar at some point. Right now the gains are coming relatively fast so I think I'll just stick with it until I start to stall again. That's when going back a training block or two might be beneficial for me.

Micro-plates really worked for me for a time, and I may use them again, but now I'm sort of enjoying more of a double progression approach, where I increase a little too much, but then build up to it until I can do full reps. And by including two back-off sets I get in decent volume even if I only do my top weight one or two reps. I also like the simplified loading. I've been so unmotivated for a good part of this year, it helps to keep everything as simple as possible.

But yeah, micro-loading is definitely an effective approach in its own right. It allowed me to set PRs in almost all the lifts 5-6 years ago. Now I want to get back there with this ramping approach and bigger increases. After that, who knows? I would imagine when one is breaking into new ground, micro-loading makes more and more sense. Also great for rehabilitative purposes, or when one is getting mental blocks. It's kind of the same as approaching a higher weight and telling yourself you just need to get in one rep. It sets the mind at ease. With micro-loading, you can tell yourself that the new load is only a pound or so more, barely perceptible, so you get that confidence.
 
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Tuesday, 21.09.07
MORNING
Persistence
2 mi "Five Hills" walk with dog.

Given the current difficulty of working out consistently, due to caretaking of a family member, I think I'll take a step back and reduce loads to about where they were at the end of last cycle. These two training blocks are kind of prequels to the chart above:

View attachment 10083

Hopefully, this will allow me to get in fuller workouts, replete with back-off sets and conditioning afterwards. One step back, two steps forward, eventually, I hope.

Sounds like a good idea, just get in and have some positive sessions. Heavy lifting is pretty hard day in and day out, I am spending much more time in the gym now that I am getting close to my max's. I am actually considering doing this to focus on dropping some weight too, although I might just ride out the cycle and see where it progresses to.

By the way thanks for encouraging the squats and stretching. After dropping deadlifts and power cleans I have virtually no back pain anymore and I feel like I am still lifting decent weights for me and all squats are to depth. Basically they are ass to grass. As much as I didn't want to drop deadlifts I do think squats overall are a better overall lift and I feel like doing farmers give me the upper body effect deadlifts would. I do appreciate the encouragement with them.
 
Sounds like a good idea, just get in and have some positive sessions. Heavy lifting is pretty hard day in and day out, I am spending much more time in the gym now that I am getting close to my max's. I am actually considering doing this to focus on dropping some weight too, although I might just ride out the cycle and see where it progresses to.

By the way thanks for encouraging the squats and stretching. After dropping deadlifts and power cleans I have virtually no back pain anymore and I feel like I am still lifting decent weights for me and all squats are to depth. Basically they are ass to grass. As much as I didn't want to drop deadlifts I do think squats overall are a better overall lift and I feel like doing farmers give me the upper body effect deadlifts would. I do appreciate the encouragement with them.
Yah, if I ever get consistent with heavier loads, I may switch to a heavy-lite alternation, or maybe even a weekly wave like I used to do. But in any case got to keep in mind the balance between intensity and frequency. It doesn't work just to do a lift heavy once a week, for me. It's probably better to do the lift twice a week moderately.

Yah, sure thing. Thanks really to Rippetoe and others for introducing me to the importance of loaded squats. I sometimes wonder where I would be if I had done them when I was younger, like I used to bench. Seems like the benefits from frequent benching are still with me, so it would be even better if those benefits had accrued to a fuller body lift like the Squat.

I would still go up slowly on the Squats, given your back history, but that's kind of the good thing about full depth squats--you can't really force them with bad technique. You'll just fall over.

Now I have to get my own Squats up to speed . . .
 
Well, how'd it go? Your public needs to know.

It went great, it ended up taking 10 hours, although I was shooting for 11. I was definitely pretty wiped out at the end and was walking more than running even though it was downhill.

The course was amazing and much more difficult than I was expecting. Especially the second half, the second long climb up was significantly steeper than the first but not all at once. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath on some of the climbs. The entire course was absolutely beautiful and the race was very well organized.

This is up the first climb on the continental divide trail. Not quite the high point which is off the pic to the right but close.
3.JPG

The bottom of the second climb we had to go over that ridge in the distance on the right above treeline.
2.JPG

This was close to the highpoint on the second half.
4.JPG
 
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It went great, it ended up taking 10 hours, although I was shooting for 11. I was definitely pretty wiped out at the end and was walking more than running even though it was downhill.

The course was amazing and much more difficult than I was expecting. Especially the second half, the second long climb up was significantly steeper than the first but not all at once. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath on some of the climbs. The entire course was absolutely beautiful and the race was very well organized.

This is up the first climb on the continental divide trail. Not quite the high point which is off the pic to the right but close.
View attachment 10114

The bottom of the second climb we had to go over that ridge in the distance on the right above treeline.
View attachment 10115

This was close to the highpoint on the second half.
View attachment 10116
Wow, very envious--both of the scenery and your conditioning! Congrats!