Dr Gainslove or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the carb

[Simon Rest]

Did you tell him? He's OCD enough that he'd probably want to know. When it comes to excel sheets I'm the same way though. Some of his formatting on the templates was a little inconsistent and it drove my nuts. I'm talking a cell would have a different line thickness lol I need help.

I just updated my template and it looks like the % is correct for suggested loads. That's pretty damn close to what I can hit for paused belted squats. The top set of paused belted squat for is a 2.5kg higher than my best paused beltless squat triple.


How are you enjoying the templates? Have you thought of cable work for bicep/triceps? I know those options are way easier on my wrists and elbows. I know Jordan mentioned either in a podcast or in one of his GPP template seminars he trains at crossfit gyms that don't have cables so he does banded triceps extensions. I can tell you I'm in the same boat and do the same, so much easier on my elbows and wrists. I used to be at a gym that had cable machines which I preferred, but the bands do their job in a pinch.

I emailed him and he said the formula shouldn't be there, it should be purely rpe based. I'm also surprised at the Durango, there's lots of little inconsistencies. I'm adjusting then as I go through the program so the next run through it will be better.
Biggest issue is he has set everything for pubs so all the formulas round to 2.5, which is less accurate when I'm working in kilos. I'm also changing those formulas to round in 1s.

Thanks for the reminder on cables; I have used them in the past but I find the bb weights seem to work better, but not if they cause injuries I guess.

[Simon Rest]

W4 D5

Last day of "low stress week"


Food: 2450 yesterday (wife made Thai curry)
fatigue: slept OK, feeling tired though. Had meetings early so food was a bit messed up pre training. 2 scoops whey and 1/2 cup oats at 8, a cafe muffin at 11 and trained at 12.

Rack Pulls 1" below knee (rx: 5@7, 5@8, 5@9, triples until 9)
162.5 x 5
167.5 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 3 x 3
I think I can push these harder: having gotten used to rack pulls I think I can do them heavier from now on because it felt like I could keep pulling triples forever. I don't think the top set was a true 9 either

2ct paused bench (rx: 5@7 5@8 5@9 then 5s until RPE 9? this isn't written well)
90 x 5
95 x 5
100 x 5 x 2
stayed tight OK during these

RDL (rx: amrap 10 min)
115 x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10
I hate these

Video:


Gym Story:
Saw lots of half squats, lots of half ROM crunches/sit ups, saw some band assisted kipping poull ups superset with kettlebell presses done for time.

[chromoly]

I hate RDLs too. I usually can't walk the next day if I do them, haha

[Simon Rest]

I hope this happens at my gym some day.

Found her Instagram
Instagram

[Simon Rest]

W5 D1

Food: averaged 2423 over the past week, of which 146 was booze. Still trending up. I keep forgetting to weight myself but I am finding some clothes looser
Fatigue: Worst. Sleep. Ever. Fell asleep OK, but kids woke me around 1 and I just couldn't get back to sleep. It was hot and steamy and my wife was snoring like a road train. I went downstairs and lay on the couch where I managed to nap another hour - reckon I got 3.5 hours total. Consequently feeling like a zombie

Today I lifted like I've never lifted before. I mean that literally, not figuritively: it was like this was the first time I'd touched a barbell

Squat (rx: work up to 1@8, 22% drop for 24 reps)
175 x 1
180 x 1
185 x 1
145 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4
Sing;es were shallow - I stood too narrow and got creamped up in the hole.
The spreadsheet says backoff sets of 4-5, where I reckon 4 sets of 6 would have been tidier. Some were OK, most were sloppy. I couldn't film these because Crossfit guy was in the adjacent rack, fitting some cross

Bench (rx: work up to 1@8, 22% drop for 24 reps)
110 x 1
112.5 x 1
115 x 1
90 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4
Top single is my current (tested) 1RM and I still recokon it was RPE 8, so looks like progress has been made on bench
Back offs were OK. Had to force myself to stay tight. It's easier when I do the whole set on one breath.

BB Row (rx: 8@6, 8@7, 8@8x4)
70 x 8
75 x 8
80 x 8 x 4
focused on keeping my wrist straight, and lowering the weight slower. Wrist felt better.

All this (including the walk to the gym and changing times) took just under 2 hours, and that's with 3 minute rests between sets.

Video:

[Toasterleavings]

..I stood too narrow and got creamped up in the hole.

Man, that's some exciting gym you go to. Tough way to train.

Good news on the bench though, particularly for a literal day of never having lifted before!

[Simon Rest]

Man, that's some exciting gym you go to. Tough way to train.

Good news on the bench though, particularly for a literal day of never having lifted before!

ha! you know what? I'm going to leave that typo in there

[chromoly]

Oh weight going up but clothes fitting looser. That's a nice feeling.

[Simon Rest]

W5 D2

Food: 2150 yesterday
Fatigue: slept for 8 solid consecutive hours last night. First full night's sleep in a maybe 6 weeks or more. Feel glorious

Deadlift (rx: 2 warm up singles to 1@8, 22% drop for 24 reps)
192.5 x 1
197.5 x 1
205 x 1
160 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4
form felt better than last week. weight is getting heavier, especially the abck off. Program says from this week I can use a belt on the back off sets if desired - was trying to hold off but it may be time to bring a belt into the equation next week.

2ct Paused Press (4@7, 4@8, 4@9 x 3 sets)
63.5 x 4
65 x 4
67.5 x 4 x 3
these were OK. I think the last set of press was pushing past RPE 9 - is this the intention? is it supposed to be that the first set is at 9 then the remaining sets get harder and harder?

Beltless squat (rx: 8@6, 8@7, 8@8 x 4 sets)
105 x 8
110 x 8
115 x 8 x 4
at least they weren't tempo squats
possibly a touch light. Last set of 8 was RPE 8, not sure about the first sets.

video:

[Simon Rest]

W5 D3

Food: 2100 yesterday
Fatigue: seriously considered not doing this, am feeling exhausted. slept OK so must be training and external stress

Warm Up
5min walking

HIIT
prowler + 50lbs
5 rounds, 2 min rest
I've noticed everyone in the gym likes pushing the prowler, but not a single other person uses the low handles....

Pull downs (8 min AMRAP)
120lbs x 10, 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6
I hadn't read the program closely enough, I was supposed to be increasing the AMRAP time for GPP work. Derp

Plank (8 min amrap)
30sec x 8

arm work is listed as "optional" so I "opted" out of doing it today. triceps are sore and tight

Static stretching - about 5 minutes