FAIL Log

[Mark Carpenter]

Stats: Age 35, 5'11
Starting weight 290lb
Interests: Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting, Strongman, Judo, Bodyweight training, Ninja Warrior
Previous Best lifts Squat 255lb 5x3, Press 165lb 5x3, Deadlift 315lb x1 and 290lb 5x1, Bench 260lb 4x3

My plan is to spend a year getting in shape and then move back to strength being the main focus.

I did SS before but fell off the wagon. I started out thinking I was going to do traditional-ish SS again and now have moved on to a sorta GSLP-ish abbreviated training program with no AMRAP and added running. My logic in programming this way is that I am less likely to miss a day if I have less big lifts to do in the gym and I will need to have more recovery with running and trying to lose fat. Also I am a good presser but have a weak back/pulling muscles so I am going to emphasize working on this in training.

Basic set up
Monday/Friday Squat 5x3
Wednesday Deadlift 5x1
Alternate Press/Bench 5x3
Pulldowns 5x3 Every Workout (up weight when achieved)
Bench Days Add 2 sets of Curls and 2 sets of Dumbbell Rows
Press Days Add to 2 Sets of Pulldowns 1 Plate above my 5x3 working max, 2 sets of AB work and Neck Harness
Jogging for 30 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday
Kettlebell Swings on Wednesday
Sprinting, Farmers Walks and Misc. on Saturday

Work in everything gradually, consistency and compliance over the long term is key.

Diet: Keto Diet, 2 decent (but not excessive) sized meals a day and 2 shakes. No snacking. Start with 2 weeks of Keto and then add in carb refeeds for Wednesday morning and Saturday night meals. The carb meals will be the same every time so I don't go off the rails eating junk. I will try throwing in a protein sparing modified fast on Sunday eventually and see if it flys.

Mini Goals: Squat 225lb 5x3, 1 Real Pullup, Run 5km in 30 minutes

Primary Goals: Get down to 205lbs by September 2013, 2.5km run in 10-12 minutes, 315lb max Bench, 225lb max Press, 315lb 5x3 Squat, 405lb 5x1 Deadlift, 50 easy pushups, 10 Good Dead Hang Pullups. Be able to complete the RKC test of 100 24kg kettlebell snatches in 5 minutes.

Bucket List: I am seriously considering joining the military as a career change so passing that test would be a big accomplishment. Compete in Powerlifting Competition. Compete in a Judo Tournament. Take the SS seminar and get certfied as a Coach.

At this point I have been dicking around in the gym for a year and reading in depth about the subject of strength, conditioning and nutrition. I know what will work, I just have to stick to my diet and get into the gym at least 3 times a week.

[Mark Carpenter]

Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Weigh in 290lb. No gym in like 4 months, look and feel like crap. I figure I have lost at least 10 pounds of muscle and and gained about 25 pounds of fat. Not good.

Friday, Aug 3 2012
Squat 140lb 5x3 Not easy but groove was ok.
Bench 155 5x3 Went well
Pull down 150lb 5x3 Went OK
Deadlift 190lb 5x1 Not easy, grip is not conditioned.

Thursday Aug 9 2012
Lost focus a bit, back in gym
Squat 140lb 5x3
Press 100lb 5x3
Pulldown 150lb 5x5
Deadlift 190lb 5x1

Sunday, August 12, 2012
2.7km jog in 30 minutes, haven't done this kind of thing in a year. Surprised myself in not having to stop once. Average pace 10.5 min per kilometer.

Monday, August 13
Weigh in - 291lbs, started Keto diet
Bench 155lb 2x5 1x10 (AMRAP)
Squat 145lb 3x5
Pulldown 165lb 4,4,3
Db Row 45lb 5x2
Didn't like the AMRAP and do not think it's good for strength or general recovery after feeling like my chest was torn up for 2 days after benching.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012
2.7 km jog in about 29 minutes, average pace about 9.75 minutes a km. Pushed harder, sprinted at the end.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012
(Morning) 45lb Kettlebell swings 50 total

Deadlift 200lb 5x1
Press 105lb 5x3
Pulldown 180lb 3,2 165lb 4,3,2

Thursday 16 August 2012
Jog, 2.8km, 31 minutes, average pace 11 minutes

Friday, August 17, 2012
Squat 150lb 5x3
Bench 160lb 5x3
Pulldown 165lb 5x3
Db rows 45lb 7x2
Barbell Curls 45lb 10x2

Sunday, August 19, 2012
30 minute jog at easy pace, 2.8 km, 10.4km

Monday, August 20, 2012
Squat 155lb 5x3
Press 110lb 5x3
Pulldown 195lb 1,1 180lb 2,1,1

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
30 minute jog, 2.7km, 10.33km

I am doing good complying with Keto only foods, I need to tighten things up a bit more and measure the amount of cream I'm taking in and cap the low GI fruits and nuts. No grazing.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012
(Morning) 100 Total Kettlebell swings with 45lb

Pulldowns 180lb 3,2,1 (not going to count half reps)
Bench 165lb 5x3
Deadlift 210lb 5x1 (going to push up this by 10 a week for a bit)
Barbell curls 50lb 10x2
Dumbell Rows 45lb 7x1 5x1 (these are laughably hard for me)

[Mark Carpenter]

Thursday, August 23, 2012
Jogging 30 minutes: Ran first 5 minutes at 9 1/2 min per km, still bad but my gate is opening up a little as my body get used to it, goes without saying that it will get easier as I lose fat.

Friday, August 24, 2012
Squat 160lb 5x3
Press 115lb 5x3
Pulldowns 195lb 1, 1 180lb 2,3,2
Neck Harness 20lb 25x2

I'm going to leave out Ab work until September, I randomly get a very bad stich in my side that feels like it might be a tear or hernia or something. It's been good for the last week so I'll let it chill a bit.

I have stayed on my diet up to this point, not doing everything super correct but I have not intentionally cheated and eaten bread/sugar.

[Mark Carpenter]

Saturday, August 25, 2012
Trapbar Farmer's Walk 135lb 2x25ft(?) both ways. I'm going to raise this by 5lbs a week, I had considered doing 10 but I don't want to hit a wall too quick or start dreading workouts.
Power clean 95lb 7x1 (bad but whatever, going to micro load these, 10 pounds a month is nothing to sneeze at over a year)
Power snatch 7x1 95lb (first time trying these, horrible, YouTube worthy. Fun though.
Pulldown 150lb 10, 5, 5 was going to try to go for 10 across but it didn't happen.
Pushups 5x3 going to up these by 1 a week

Hill Sprints x5 beat my 7 year old son who can kill me at long distance

Sunday, August 26, 2012
OFF

[Mark Carpenter]

Monday, August 27, 2012
Squat 165lb 5x3 The groove on these were really good and they had a lot of pop, I was trying to pay attention to my body and not look in the mirror for a change. Worked.
Bench 170lb 5x3 Good
Pulldown 180lb 4,4,3 Coming along nice
Dumbbell Row 35lb 10x2 I Lowered these by 10lbs as I wasn't getting full range of motion and was lugging it up last time
Barbell Curl 55lb 10x2
Pushups 5x2
Despite feeling tired all day I had a lot of energy in the gym. I'm glad I am doing a more abbreviated program, time flys by. Body is getting used it. I also seem to be losing double chin.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
30 minute jog, didn't push it, sprint at the end

Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Press 120lb 5x3
Pulldown 195lb 2,1, 180lb 3,2,2
Deadlift 220lb 5x1
Neck Harness 20lbs 40x2
Push Ups 5x2
Kb swings 45lb x100

Thursday, August 30, 2012
30 minute jog, easy going

Friday, August 31, 2012
Squat 170lb 5x3 went well, I like squating twice a week
Bench 175lb 5x3
Pulldown 180lb 4,3,3 150lb 8x3
Dumbbell Row 45lb 10x2
Barbell Curl 60lb 10x2
Trapbar 140lb 25ft back and forth x2
I have a road trip on Saturday so blended 2 sessions together and truncated it a but.

Saturday, September 1, 2012
Weigh in 284lbs, down 7 pounds, might not mean much but body feels a ton better, I think muscle memory is kicking in and I look less fat.

1rst Carb Up meal, 1/2 a gluten free pizza, gluten free brownies, brownies, fruit, yogurt, sweet potatoe chips, can of cola. When I dipped into this stuff I felt really guilty in a weird way, all part of the program though.

Sunday, September 2, 2012
Tried to do a protein shake fast today but got too hungry and was craving carbs like crazy from last night. Was able to stick to the low carb anyway.

[snyderman3000]

Lost 7 pounds in one week, good work! Keep it up. Your approach looks like a good one. What time of day do you lift? I've been lifting in a fasted state in the morning and drinking BCAA's intra-workout, and I really like it. I think it's a good way to approach fat loss.

[beaverbob]

100 kb swings at 45lb, good stuff. I did Tabata KB swings as a finisher the other day, 30lb bell, 100 reps total. Man was I sore in my entire posterior chain. Are you doing 100 straight? Because that is intense, esp with a bigger bell.

[Mr_Rogers]

Really enjoying the log Mark, good luck with everything. Way to set some lofty goals too, they're big but not out of reach.

[Mark Carpenter]

100 kb swings at 45lb, good stuff. I did Tabata KB swings as a finisher the other day, 30lb bell, 100 reps total. Man was I sore in my entire posterior chain. Are you doing 100 straight? Because that is intense, esp with a bigger bell.

Hey dude, I use the 45 because that's the one I have at home. Actually I was doing 10, putting it down and taking 10 breaths and then doing another 10. I got up to 7 sets this way, then I had to do longer breaks. I got this idea from a recent T-nation article about kettlebell breathing ladders. The normal way I can get to about 25 on first set but after that by the 3rd set the whole thing goes into the toilet. I started doing swings in the gym instead of home as well which helps a lot in regards to focus.

My upper-middle back was completely fucking fried 2 days after this. Tonight I'm going to do 10x12 for 120, the plan is to add 20 a week until I get up to 300 then bump up the weight/drop reps and work back up, repeat.

[Mark Carpenter]

Really enjoying the log Mark, good luck with everything. Way to set some lofty goals too, they're big but not out of reach.

Thanks, much appreciated.