Beard's "Fierce 5 Novice Program" Workout Journal --- M/W/F

[davisj3537]

Normally I'd attribute your easier squat sets to using a more efficient squat (low bar), but since it is a new lift for you I'm not sure you're really seeing that advantage yet. Hard to say really, but I'm glad to see you are doing well.

[beardohio]

Might have just gone through all 10 of these pages lol. Very interesting and helpful posts in here. Hoping to start Davis' program as well (post surgery permitting).

Great to see your progress climbing post after post! I'm in..

Thanks for checking it out! Great to have you in here.

Normally I'd attribute your easier squat sets to using a more efficient squat (low bar), but since it is a new lift for you I'm not sure you're really seeing that advantage yet. Hard to say really, but I'm glad to see you are doing well.

Nope; I've been doing low-bar the entire time.

I played with high bar during the deload but stuck with low.

[Squid24]

Thanks, Squid. Back Squats felt very strong. Big progress mentally for those.

I got the idea for Drop Sets from good ol' Steve Cook's bro-splits I used to do in years past. They seem to make sense for something like reverse flies to get a pump going where the weights aren't too heavy and I'm not progressing weekly.

I love drop sets....will go up to 10lbs next week and stay there for a while and do drop sets on those...or 12lbs, then do drops to 8 and 5's.

[davisj3537]

Thanks for checking it out! Great to have you in here.




Nope; I've been doing low-bar the entire time.

I played with high bar during the deload but stuck with low.

Who was fort night?


Clearly I got confused. lol

[dency45]

Thanks for checking it out! Great to have you in here.




Nope; I've been doing low-bar the entire time.

I played with high bar during the deload but stuck with low.

I thought you have been doing high bar the entire time. lol

[beardohio]

Workout B
Warmup
3D Band Pull-Aparts.
Band Shoulder Dislocates.
DeFranco's "Limber 11".

Front Squat
2 x 5 @ 45lb
1 x 5 @ 95lb
1 x 5 @ 135lb
1 x 5 @ 155lb
1 x 4 @ 175lb (7 RPE) (Wrist discomfort)
2 x 5 @ 175lb (8, 9 RPE) (Belt on last set)

Incline Bench
1 x 10 @ 45lb
1 x 5 @ 95lb
3 x 5 @ 140lb (8, 9, 8 RPE)

Romanian Deadlift
1 x 8 @ 45lb
1 x 8 @ 135lb
3 x 8 @ 195lb (7 RPE) (Straps)

Lat Pulldown
1 x 10 @ 70lb
1 x 10 @ 100lb
1 x 8 @ 120lb
3 x 8 @ 100lb

Abs (Landmine 180s)/Curls
3 x 10 @ 70lb / 3 x 10 @ 60lb





Thoughts:
-Like Monday, I left the gym not very impressed with my performance today.

-First time using my Rehband knee sleeves on Front Squats. I like them. I goofed the setup on my first set though and had to cut it at 4 reps from wrist discomfort. Mental mistake. Nailed it the next two sets without any wrist discomfort and got all 5.

-Second set of Incline was pretty tough so I asked for a spot on my final set. Ended up getting all 5 much easier. Guy spotting me pointed out that my right arm is in closer to my body than my left...with the left out more perpendicular. I guess from above it was easy to spot. More on that below. I also have noticed over the past few weeks that my left pec is bigger (I'm right handed) but didn't think it would affect much (they're both small anyway..).

-Again, RDL's felt the best of any of the movements today. I used the straps for all 3 sets and really felt the work in my posterior chain.

-Week 12 is in the books! Weights did not progress...as I stuck with the same weight from Week 11 after taking a Deload week in-between.

-My plan at the end of 12 weeks was to reach out to a PT from ClinicalAthlete and make an appointment. Being my first time training full-body this religiously, I decided it would be worth seeing a professional to check for any imbalances/asymmetries. With the info from my bench today I am convinced even more to see a PT. Always want to keep a proactive approach and stay ahead of any long-term issues (thanks Mike).

[Squid24]

But ya got it in, so all is good

I think that is why I like the crossover hold for the Front Squats...???

[MyEgoProblem]

One arm more flared=More pec stimulation. Wouldn't be surprised if you left delt was a little smaller too.

Can you correct it consciously?
May be your left lat is weaker, and fatiguing faster and not keeping the "tuck" you want.

[MikeWines]

ZING. ^This guy gets it. You're going to be incredibly successful with lifting because you're taking all the right steps from the start:

1. Running a solid, proven program and NOT modifying it drastically.
2. Ensuring adequate calories from whole foods - i.e. sustainable & quality nutrition
3. Listening to your body - deloading + soft tissue work
4. Being proactive.


Here's my word of caution regarding PTs...You must be very careful which ones you choose and why. Most PTs are looking for aberrant patterns and things that are wrong with a person. Most of the individuals coming to them already have something very wrong with them and as such, they're in pain. You're young, healthy, and in great shape. Sure, there are a few things that aren't quite "right" but that can be fixed over time as you get stronger. However, PTs like to find things that are wrong and tell you about them and as such, this can generate what is known as the "nocebo effect" within a person's psyche.

Basically, it's the opposite of placebo. When someone tells you that there is something wrong with you then you become HYPER-aware of it and as such, it may cause pain when there wasn't any to begin with.

For example, if you look at the research on asymptomatic individuals and MRI imaging, there are hundreds of thousands of individuals that are walking about pain free with labral tears, disc bulges, and SLAP lesions in their shoulder (I would include myself in this group - I'm about 90% sure I have a torn right labrum in my shoulder from playing baseball when I was younger but having done substantial mobility/soft tissue/corrective work on myself, I've never had pain). However, none of these individuals report with pain or any incredibly obscure movement patterns. Yet, they might have gotten a recommendation from a physician or a friend to "get their back/neck/shoulder/hip checked out" just in case there might something wrong or they felt a slight "weird sensation". As such, when they see the damage on the MRI they begin to develop debilitating pain over the next few weeks/months.

Why?

Well, pain science is a very multi faceted issue and as such, it's not just as simple as the mechanical model would suggest - dysfunction creates mechanistic problems within the muscle/joint/tendon/etc. and then you get an inflammation response and pain. No, not the case. That is PART of the issue but not the whole thing.

See here for more information on the subject, all good reads:

- Pain Science: An Interview With Pain Expert Jason Silvernail]
- March Research Round-Up: Pain Science Edition
- A Revolution in the Understanding of Pain and Treatment of Chronic Pain

Point being: strength coaches, physical therapists, soft tissue specialists, etc. must all be VERY careful with their choice of words and recommendations to patients as this could cause further issues if they aren't aware of the person's psychological approach to the situation and how their words are being perceived.

I wouldn't recommend against a PT visit, but I would go with SPECIFIC questions - i.e. "I feel like I can't seem to get into my left hip" (S/O to Davis is you got the PRI reference), "My right shoulder sits lower than my left", "My left pec is bigger than my right", etc.

Also, I would find a PT who believes in STRENGTH work to correct the issue. Sure, mobility and activation correctives can be beneficial but at the end of the day, the goal is get you AS CLOSE TO NEUTRAL AS POSSIBLE (you will never be perfectly neutral which is why strength coaches, chiropractors, and PTs exist to help slowly bring you back to the spectrum of neutrality) and then allow to strength train to cement that new pattern.

My only visits to a PT were for some dry needling on my quads when I had superior patellar tendonitis (which funny enough I resolved on my own as well through some experimentation with terminal knee extensions) and a "stuck" joint in my neck which I also resolved on my own via targeted soft tissue work at the base of my skull. Each visit was for a specific reason, I didn't just go in and say "Hey doc, what's wrong with me?" haha I know you wouldn't do that and that's a drastic example but you get the idea.

Bottom line: Do your OWN research and go in with a potential hypothesis for what might be causing the issue or a basic understanding of the situation.

I just went to the endocrinologist the other day and despite the fact that that is not my specialty, I have been doing research on my symptoms and my blood work results for the last 6 months so I was VERY prepared when I sat down in his office. I had a list of things I wanted to ask him, I knew how to respond to his questions and potentially suggest some further blood work that we both wanted to see in order to resolve the issue.

Doctors love (or really anyone for that matter) to feel like they have the upper hand when it comes to knowledge so if they feel like you don't know what's going on or you don't have a grasp on the situation then they're going to talk down to you and you'll have to deal with this inferiority complex that is generated between the two of you. Level the play field and go in there with some knowledge in your head or on paper.

At the end of the day, keep this in mind: STRENGTH IS CORRECTIVE IN NATURE.

Have an asymmetry on one side compared to the other? Cool, literally everyone does. There isn't a single perfectly symmetrical person in this world. People appear symmetrical until you load them beyond a submaximal capacity and then you will being to see the asymmetries.

However, doing more unilateral work (upper or lower) can be incredibly beneficial. Obviously these have to be PROGRESSED appropriately. Doing walking lunges on day 1 isn't going to fix a hip shift in a squat. haha




So, to recap on that novel:

1. Do your own research > leading to my next point...
2. Go in with some questions or a basic understanding/hypothesis of what might be going on.
3. Don't read into his wording/suggestions too much - if he starts about you being "broken" or telling you that you need to stop squatting or benching until you fix these issues, MOVE ALONG AND FIND ANOTHER PT or lets hop on a Skype session and we can talk through a variety of things.
4. Remember, that at the end of the day you're doing the best thing possible to correct unilateral deficits - STRENGTH TRAINING. A properly periodized program that is built around your personal needs and preferences will help to correct these if pregressions/progressions (i.e. lateralizations) are built into it.


Well that could have been an entire guest lecture or presentation at a conference. haha Sorry for the lengthy response Beard, just thought you might one or two of those suggestions helpful.

[beardohio]

But ya got it in, so all is good

I think that is why I like the crossover hold for the Front Squats...???

Yeah that was the first time I ever goofed the setup enough to feel discomfort. Went back to a discomfort-free hold the next two sets when I didn't rush things.

One arm more flared=More pec stimulation. Wouldn't be surprised if you left delt was a little smaller too.

Can you correct it consciously?
May be your left lat is weaker, and fatiguing faster and not keeping the "tuck" you want.

Not at that weight (8, 9 RPE).

I can check it out at lower weight now that I'm aware it's happening.



Just checked out a progress picture from a few weeks ago:
Left pec is bigger than right. Right delt is bigger than left.

[Squid24]

I am gonna check out some of the good reads Mike gave ya

[beardohio]

So, to recap on that novel:

1. Do your own research > leading to my next point...
2. Go in with some questions or a basic understanding/hypothesis of what might be going on.
3. Don't read into his wording/suggestions too much - if he starts about you being "broken" or telling you that you need to stop squatting or benching until you fix these issues, MOVE ALONG AND FIND ANOTHER PT or lets hop on a Skype session and we can talk through a variety of things.
4. Remember, that at the end of the day you're doing the best thing possible to correct unilateral deficits - STRENGTH TRAINING. A properly periodized program that is built around your personal needs and preferences will help to correct these if pregressions/progressions (i.e. lateralizations) are built into it.


Well that could have been an entire guest lecture or presentation at a conference. haha Sorry for the lengthy response Beard, just thought you might one or two of those suggestions helpful.

Read through every single word, Mike. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Now you have an outline for your next article on PT visits?



Anyway, I found my target PT through ClinicalAthlete -----> mobilityfitpt.com

I will absolutely be walking in the door with specifics. Along with your suggestions (again, thank you) my father is in healthcare and has always made sure I go in prepared and not be afraid to find another Doc. I have been lucky in the past (femur fracture + other small injuries) to always seek out the best and I am hoping the local suggestion from ClinicalAthlete lives up to this.

Side note: have always been convinced that I have some leftover shoulder/elbow injuries from playing baseball my whole life. Nothing that has affected me (that I know of) since...but I played a lot of baseball. A lot. What position did you play? Travel for any summer ball? If so, bet I've caught you in a double play at some point in your career SS here.

Cheers Mike.

[davisj3537]

Another completely unhelpful post from Mike

Makes a lot of sense Mike. Thanks for posting.

The wife is considering doing a chronic pain fellowship once she finishes her anesthesia residency. She would probably enjoy reading (maybe already has) some of the articles you linked. She just spent a whole month doing pain management and it was pretty interesting to say the least.


Pretty off topic, but one guy was taking 60 times the normal dose of a pain pill (that I can't name) every day. He got shot in the leg and had to stay at the hospital for a few weeks. Since his tolerance was so high from all the abuse there was literally nothing they could do for him in this case because they aren't allowed to give more pain meds than would kill superman...

[beardohio]

Another completely unhelpful post from Mike

Makes a lot of sense Mike. Thanks for posting.

The wife is considering doing a chronic pain fellowship once she finishes her anesthesia residency. She would probably enjoy reading (maybe already has) some of the articles you linked. She just spent a whole month doing pain management and it was pretty interesting to say the least.

Right? Can't tell you how thankful I am that Mike stumbled in here one day. Thrilled to not only have his help but also to watch him progress in the future. Already seeing his name in more places.

Your wife sounds extremely motivated, Davis. Send her those articles I'm sure she would enjoy the read.

I always joke with my friends/family that "I don't feel pain"...and while of course I do feel pain, my threshold is extremely high. That femur fracture from a few pages back? I was walking and playing baseball on it for two weeks before it completely snapped under me. Never again, though...

Pretty off topic, but one guy was taking 60 times the normal dose of a pain pill (that I can't name) every day. He got shot in the leg and had to stay at the hospital for a few weeks. Since his tolerance was so high from all the abuse there was literally nothing they could do for him in this case because they aren't allowed to give more pain meds than would kill superman...

Okay now that guy definitely does not feel pain. What a messed up situation...his withdrawal had to be agonizing (if he ever got unhooked from the stuff). No thanks Jeff.

[MyEgoProblem]

Just checked out a progress picture from a few weeks ago:
Left pec is bigger than right. Right delt is bigger than left.

:-) now you know. Now you can sort it.

[MikeWines]

Read through every single word, Mike. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Now you have an outline for your next article on PT visits?

This is true. However, M&S would never publish an article on it as most wouldn't read about that or even care about the topic unfortunately.

Anyway, I found my target PT through ClinicalAthlete -----> mobilityfitpt.com

I will absolutely be walking in the door with specifics. Along with your suggestions (again, thank you) my father is in healthcare and has always made sure I go in prepared and not be afraid to find another Doc. I have been lucky in the past (femur fracture + other small injuries) to always seek out the best and I am hoping the local suggestion from ClinicalAthlete lives up to this.

Checked out their site + instagram + YouTube, you found a REALLY good one. I have high hopes for them. The FMS will prove to be a vital assessment tool for you.

Side note: have always been convinced that I have some leftover shoulder/elbow injuries from playing baseball my whole life. Nothing that has affected me (that I know of) since...but I played a lot of baseball. A lot. What position did you play? Travel for any summer ball? If so, bet I've caught you in a double play at some point in your career SS here.

Cheers Mike.

I was a pitcher and short stop myself. Never played travel ball as my family didn't have the money growing up and now that I know so much more about long term athletic development and the impact overzealous coaches have on young players arms, it was for the better.

However, I was not caught in many double plays. I was an avid base stealer so there weren't many DP's turned on me since I got a jump on the pitcher most of time even in high school.

I'm about 95% sure I have a torn labrum in my throwing arm so you're not the only one with issues. ha

Another completely unhelpful post from Mike

Makes a lot of sense Mike. Thanks for posting.

The wife is considering doing a chronic pain fellowship once she finishes her anesthesia residency. She would probably enjoy reading (maybe already has) some of the articles you linked. She just spent a whole month doing pain management and it was pretty interesting to say the least.

Interesting...What does she do if you don't mind me asking?

Already seeing his name in more places.

O really? This is news to me. haha Where is that?^

I always joke with my friends/family that "I don't feel pain"...and while of course I do feel pain, my threshold is extremely high. That femur fracture from a few pages back? I was walking and playing baseball on it for two weeks before it completely snapped under me. Never again, though...

High pain tolerance checking in. If I ever have to get a filling I always telling the doc to start drilling and forget about the novacane b/c I'm not letting him use a drop. haha When I had my wisdom teeth taken out I just ended up taking tylenol for the pain. However, it probably runs in the family, my grandfather had open heart surgery and only took Tylenol for the pain and back then they split your sternum in order to perform the procedure. hahaha

[davisj3537]

Interesting...What does she do if you don't mind me asking?

She is a doctor. She signed up for the Navy pre med school, which really complicated things. After getting out of med school the navy forced her to complete flight school to be some kind of doctor/pilot and then she did primary care for 4 years.

She just left the Navy and was accepted to Duke university to be an anesthesiologist. In 2.5 years when she finishes she has been thinking about either specializing in pain management or ICU. Then we're moving back to DFW unless she can't get a job there which seems unlikely.There are just so many opportunities.



I'll be honest and say that when I ask questions outside her realm the answers are questionable, like any doctor. When I ask pain, critical care, anesthesia and primary care I'm overwhelmed with da info brah. She'd be MAAAD if she read that. lol

[Squid24]

She is a doctor. She signed up for the Navy pre med school, which really complicated things. After getting out of med school the navy forced her to complete flight school to be some kind of doctor/pilot and then she did primary care for 4 years.

She just left the Navy and was accepted to Duke university to be an anesthesiologist. In 2.5 years when she finishes she has been thinking about either specializing in pain management or ICU. Then we're moving back to DFW unless she can't get a job there which seems unlikely.There are just so many opportunities.



I'll be honest and say that when I ask questions outside her realm the answers are questionable, like any doctor. When I ask pain, critical care, anesthesia and primary care I'm overwhelmed with da info brah. She'd be MAAAD if she read that. lol

I am sending email her way as we speak...lmao

[beardohio]

:-) now you know. Now you can sort it.

I'm interested to hear what the PT says about it. For now, I guess I will continue forward with the bench weights as I have not failed yet. Unless the "odd" form is worth resetting and trying to correct it on my own.

Checked out their site + instagram + YouTube, you found a REALLY good one. I have high hopes for them. The FMS will prove to be a vital assessment tool for you.

I was a pitcher and short stop myself. Never played travel ball as my family didn't have the money growing up and now that I know so much more about long term athletic development and the impact overzealous coaches have on young players arms, it was for the better.

However, I was not caught in many double plays. I was an avid base stealer so there weren't many DP's turned on me since I got a jump on the pitcher most of time even in high school.

O really? This is news to me. haha Where is that?^

Just inquired about the FMS this morning. Looking forward to hearing pricing on 6 months and working with Dr. Cook.

Sounds like we were pretty similar athletes on the diamond. I'm always looking for excuses to get my S2000 out and toss but nobody around me plays anymore.

Your name circulates through a lot of the threads surrounding Fierce 5; be it the main thread where new guys are asking front squat questions or all of the workout logs. Your suggestions in here specifically have been great and I know I bookmarked all of it to pass on to others down the road.










On another note; I didn't get in the gym for my usual 5:00am session this morning. After work, depending on how late I'm in the office, I'll either do Workout A tonight or push to tomorrow. Even though I dislike going in the evenings I am going to try my best to get it done tonight and stick with M/W/F.

Also, I'm officially "resetting" my front squat weight. Dropping 15% means I will be at 145lb this week, progressing 10lb/week per usual. Though I muscled up the reps these past two weeks, form started to break down and I don't feel comfortable increasing. Back Squats will keep tracking as normal.

Cheers, all!

[beardohio]

Workout A
Warmup:
DeFranco's Limber 11

Squat
2 x 10 @ 45lb
2 x 5 @ 135lb
1 x 5 @ 155lb
3 x 5 @ 195lb (7, 7, 8 RPE)

Bench
1 x 10 @ 45lb
1 x 5 @ 95lb
3 x 5 @ 145lb (7, 8, 9 RPE)

Pendlay Rows
1 x 8 @ 45lb
3 x 8 @ 135lb (9, 8, 7 RPE)

Reverse Flies
3 x 10 @ 7.5lb

Calf Raises/Tricep Pressdown
3 x 15 @ 45lb / 3 x 12 @ 50lb





Thoughts:
-First evening workout in a longggg time. Had some things going on this morning so I pushed the workout back. Gym is a zoo at this hour and I was not a fan. I flew through the workout, taking shorter breaks than usual on everything. Felt like a blur but got everything in and got a good session in.

-Back squats moved pretty well today. No belt and no knee sleeves...just the Romaleos 2. As I said, rest times were shorter due to a crazy packed gym but RPE didn't go above 8.

-First time moving 1 plate on Pendlays! Felt very different pulling from the ground instead of a make-shift rack. I stayed at 90 degrees and the weight was moving smoother than it was last week. I felt like a beast moving 135lb that easily. Did not use suicide grip like I had been doing the last two weeks.

-Back on the 5am schedule Wednesday. As I mentioned above, Front Squats are resetting to 145lb this week.

[davisj3537]

I am sending email her way as we speak...lmao

I was destined for consequences when I posted it. haha

[MyEgoProblem]

gym @ peak time = fukkin *****. no fun.

grats on the benchmark pendlays! big wheels! xD

[redraider86]

Erm, yes, going to the gym at night makes me want to die. Although I arguably still go to the gym at night depending on your definition of morning.

Great work on the Pendlays!

[beardohio]

gym @ peak time = fukkin *****. no fun.

grats on the benchmark pendlays! big wheels! xD

Thanks, Ego! Feelsgoodman.

Erm, yes, going to the gym at night makes me want to die. Although I arguably still go to the gym at night depending on your definition of morning.

Great work on the Pendlays!

Thanks, RR! My regular gym time is 05:00. That's morning.

Anything before 04:00 is still night for me, as I am asleep

[TravelinJhwkFan]

Finally got to read through the thread, great progress man!

You're making me want to run a legit program.

[beardohio]

Workout B
Warmup
DeFranco's "Limber 11".

Front Squat
2 x 10 @ 45lb
2 x 5 @ 95lb
3 x 5 @ 145lb (7 RPE)

Incline Bench
1 x 10 @ 45lb
2 x 5 @ 95lb
3 x 3 @ 145lb (9 RPE) (Failed to get all 5 reps)

Romanian Deadlift
1 x 8 @ 45lb
3 x 8 @ 205lb (8 RPE) (Straps)

Lat Pulldown
1 x 8 @ 85lb
3 x 8 @ 100lb + Drop-Set
+ 3 x 8 @ 85lb close-grip

Abs (Landmine 180s)/Curls
3 x 10 @ 70lb / 3 x 8 @ 50lb (Drag Curls)





Thoughts:
-Ah, resetting the Front Squat weight was refreshing. Got a good pause at the bottom of every rep and good bar speed to the top. No sleeves or belt.

-First time failing on Incline Bench. It has been tracking at the same weight as Flat Bench so I knew it was coming soon. I got 3 x 3 but chickened out on going for the 4th each time. Did not ask for a spot. I'll try this weight again Monday and if I fail again, I'll be resetting the weight 15%.

-RDL's were moving well yet again. I'm really getting the hang of using the posterior chain and getting a good squeeze at the top. Straps have been a blessing.

-Again, RDL's felt the best of any of the movements today. I used the straps for all 3 sets and really felt the work in my posterior chain.

-Saw a few other Fierce 5 folks talking about drag curls so I tried them out today with a bit less weight. Nice movement...I'm going to do these for a few more weeks.

[beardohio]

PS...I updated the OP with a lot more information!



Head back to page 1 and give it a read. Thank you to everyone that is in here encouraging/helping me.

Have a great Wednesday!

[Metalmank]

oh tough guy

[beardohio]

oh tough guy

[Squid24]

Good day....time to fail yet one more time , but I feel you will hit it Monday