First Journal entry

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Day 1

Warm Up: the usual freestyle jump rope and catalyst athletics warm up

More Warm Up: BTN Jerks, a few sets of doubles and triples, light weight.

Squats:
20Kg x 6
20kg x 6
40kg x 6
64kg x 8
64kg x 8
64kg x 8

RDLS 3" Deficit (sub for leg curls)
48kg x 8
48kg x 8
48kg x 8

Chins
10, 10, 10, (grey band)

Dips
6 (red band), 5,6,5,5,5 (BW)

Farmers Carry
45lb grip plate each hand x 150' (30 seconds) x 6

Morning Session Timed out, prob do cardio/conditioning for tonight after work...will see.

Notes; Volume is beginning to tell, I am sore a lot of times in a different way that I am not used to....much of the time...it feels good ..like progress. Progressing BTW (by weight or reps) on the main movements in the first 4 things, may mean having to accept expending less energy/effort on the 5th or 6th item (accessory) items. Not tracking calories ATM...Since I have a reasonably well regimented eating plan...usually the same items...serving sizes, I know that I am eating below maintenance by a small amount globally as I dont eat much in the morning if at all and have minimized carbs... so I am very slowly losing weight..and seeing some new shape I have never notice before, going to be awhile before my guppy gut disappears...no BB.com poster boy for me. hopefully I can keep this up.

[shaneinga]

Nice workout there Alan. Good to hear you are enjoying and finding new gains in the higher volume training. Also great to hear that you are seeing good physique changes and dropping pounds. All good things in here man. You don't have to be a poster boy for bb.com, I believe we all fall short of that, and most of those poster boys are enhanced, photoshopped and are only in that condition for the day of the poster picture being taken. Keep after it and the gut will disappear, it is unfortunately one of the last things to go and the first things to show up on us dudes.

[TM79]

Great work in here CPW! As Shane said, I'm glad you're dropping some pounds and enjoying the higher volume/reps. If you're enjoying yourself and getting the results you want without getting injured I'd call that a win-win-win. As for the lingering gut, I feel your pain... And with my appetite for good beer, I doubt mine will ever fully go away. Keep it up my friend!


PS: How do you guys use photoshop?

[Cantplankwell]

Nice workout there Alan. Good to hear you are enjoying and finding new gains in the higher volume training. Also great to hear that you are seeing good physique changes and dropping pounds. All good things in here man. You don't have to be a poster boy for bb.com, I believe we all fall short of that, and most of those poster boys are enhanced, photoshopped and are only in that condition for the day of the poster picture being taken. Keep after it and the gut will disappear, it is unfortunately one of the last things to go and the first things to show up on us dudes.

Great work in here CPW! As Shane said, I'm glad you're dropping some pounds and enjoying the higher volume/reps. If you're enjoying yourself and getting the results you want without getting injured I'd call that a win-win-win. As for the lingering gut, I feel your pain... And with my appetite for good beer, I doubt mine will ever fully go away. Keep it up my friend!


PS: How do you guys use photoshop?

Thanks gents!

For sure if I want to stay uninjured I have to chase small changes in volume, and exta kg and rep or two here and there, its a slow road. The hardest part is the diet, I just eat too much in the evening.

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Day 2

Warm Up: Jump rope, just a few minutes of straight singles, abbreviated catalyst warm up

More Warm Up: Power Clean+Hang clean, a few light sets

Barbell Floor Press, (sub for incline dumbbell press)
20kg x 8
20kg x 8
44kg x 8
44kg x 8
44kg x 8

Single Arm Rows with landmine (PWO)
12.5kg x 8
12.5kg x 8
12.5kg x 8

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
20lbs x 10
20lbs x 10
20lbs x 10

Barbell Good Mornings (sub for back extensions)
20kg x 6
40kg x 6
40kg x 6
40kg x 6
40kg x 6

Calf Work Skipped today

Cardio: Timed out this morning, try to do something tonight, rowing or LISS - walking, does not matter as long as I do something.

Notes:
This workout was done fasted.
A kg and a rep or two was added here and there.
So hard to stay away from Carbs etc, bought ice cream at the supermarket last night...did not have any...small victories. Its easier to eat a little less than beat the daylights out of myself conditioning and running etc to make up for crossing the line with extra calories.

Have a great day.

[shaneinga]

Good work in here Alan. I have never actually tried a bb floor press. Now that I have a home gym I think I am going to give them a try soon.

I think the BSS's are in my future leg workouts soon as well.

Solid work on those good mornings!

I told Trent in his journal but a good substitute I found for ice cream is zero fat greek yogurt with frozen fruit in it with a little cinnamon and liquid stevia drops. You need a sweetener added to sweeten up the yogurt. You can use any of your favorite zero cal sweeteners. Also, sugar free jello is nice for a sweet low cal snack.

Have a good weekend.

[Cantplankwell]

Good work in here Alan. I have never actually tried a bb floor press. Now that I have a home gym I think I am going to give them a try soon.

I think the BSS's are in my future leg workouts soon as well.

Solid work on those good mornings!

I told Trent in his journal but a good substitute I found for ice cream is zero fat greek yogurt with frozen fruit in it with a little cinnamon and liquid stevia drops. You need a sweetener added to sweeten up the yogurt. You can use any of your favorite zero cal sweeteners. Also, sugar free jello is nice for a sweet low cal snack.

Have a good weekend.

Hey Shane!

THe floor presses have resulted in zero shoulder pain, its the ticket for those of us who dont care "how big our bench is". For sure the BSS is very effective, I think you could actually replace squats with those if you were just leaning towards aesthetics. The good mornings tho are going to be a work in progress...not comfortable with them yet, what other choice do I have since I sold my GHD (its an acoustic guitar now..which sounds nicer than the GHD )

Thanks for tip on the ice cream I will try it. Giving up stuff like ice cream would be hard as I have few other vices.

enjoy your weekend!

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Day 3

Weigh in 169.8lbs
Waist 35"

Warm Up: Few minutes of freestyle jump rope, Abbreviated Catalyst warm up

More Warm Up: Muscle Snatch+Snatch, a few sets of this little complex with light weights up to 35kg...easy.

Snatch Dead Lifts (Snatch start...snatch grip...no hook)(sub for dead lifts)
58kg x 8
58kg x 8
58kg x 8

Seated Dumbbell Press
25lbs x 12
25lbs x 12
25lbs x 12

Cable Pull downs with bar, chin up grip
102.5lbs x 12
102.5lbs x 12
102.5lbs x 8

Hammer Curls
25lbs x 9
25lbs x 9
25lbs x 9

Overhead Tricep Cable extensions, pause at the peak (subbed for PRJ pull overs)
40lbs x 12
40lbx x 12
40lbs x 8

Finisher
2.5km Run

Notes

Agains snatches felt very good, so tempting to do more sets. Every thing else a kg or lb or two extra here and a rep or so added there. No weight loss, but a reduction in waist...weird, I will take it tho.

[StinnerOzz]

I'd replaced squats with Bulgarians for a long time and the only detriment was a weaker squat (due to form). Legs were as good as ever, and doing reps w/70lb dumbbells made me quite strong.

You guys ever try Icelandic skyr for yogurt options? It's like Greek yogurt but lower fat and higher protein. Not as many flavor options on the shelves, but the 4-5 we find are all good! Price is pretty much in line with the popular Greek offerings too.

EDIT - not sure why there's an angry face on this.

[HomeGymChains]

I’ve always been curious how to get the bar into position for a floor press. Need to do it in a cage? Or with a spotter? (Just curious. When I tried it decades ago, I couldn’t figure out how to get anything near my usual bench weight into place. Now, I don’t actually have the floor space to try it.)

[Cantplankwell]

I'd replaced squats with Bulgarians for a long time and the only detriment was a weaker squat (due to form). Legs were as good as ever, and doing reps w/70lb dumbbells made me quite strong.

You guys ever try Icelandic skyr for yogurt options? It's like Greek yogurt but lower fat and higher protein. Not as many flavor options on the shelves, but the 4-5 we find are all good! Price is pretty much in line with the popular Greek offerings too.

EDIT - not sure why there's an angry face on this.

LOL at the angry face! Skyr is sometimes on the grocery list, it also has a decent protein/gram over other yogurts I think

I’ve always been curious how to get the bar into position for a floor press. Need to do it in a cage? Or with a spotter? (Just curious. When I tried it decades ago, I couldn’t figure out how to get anything near my usual bench weight into place. Now, I don’t actually have the floor space to try it.)

How ya doing HGC nice to hear from you!

I place the loaded bar on a bunch of plates (on the loaded plate edges),therfore the bar is about the distance of my fore arm length to the middle of my grip... from the floor...slide underneath and off you go, get a grip and push up...lie flat down for maximum effect...dont use your legs! Its all upper body.

You could do it off the safeties if they went low enough, mine dont

[HomeGymChains]

How ya doing HGC nice to hear from you!

I place the loaded bar on a bunch of plates (on the loaded plate edges),therfore the bar is about the distance of my fore arm length to the middle of my grip... from the floor...slide underneath and off you go, get a grip and push up...lie flat down for maximum effect...dont use your legs! Its all upper body.

You could do it off the safeties if they went low enough, mine dont

Hi to you too CPW. I’m doing okay. Even posted an update in my thread for the first time in more than a month.

Thanks for the floor press technique. I’ll have to think about that once I clear some space.

[shaneinga]

Another good one Alan. Solid bunch of exercises chosen and moving good weights.

I agree that the BSS's are a good movement for aesthetics, you can really hammer your legs with them.

[Cantplankwell]

Just a little update

This week was a regularly scheduled de-load (every 4th week) So I simply took this week off from lifting, all I did was some walking for 30 mins, and a couple of good hard rowing sessions for calories (200) It was just as well as this week has been long and stressful at work...stress is stress...whether its squatting or fending off customers last ditch unreasonable demands to get things done their way.

I am only mentally counting calories, doing IF, and cut out most unnecessary filler carbs...bread and sides for example, couple of lunches were nothing more than my usual plant based protein shake and raw veggies (from my garden ) A big strip loin does not have a lot of calories...so might do that tonight. After this week I need a really quiet weekend..working in the back yard on my sprinkler system, some gardening, a bike ride...and some guitar strumming, hopefully a Blue-Jays or Raptors game or two.

Weight 168.2
Waist 34.25"

Back at it Monday

Have a great weekend.

[shaneinga]

Great job on the weight loss Alan! IF works really well for those who can do it. Once you get your body set on that schedule it isn't to bad. Nice to use veggies from your own garden.

Sounds like a good weekend you have lined up. Hope you are able to do all of those things and relax.

Have a great weekend.

[TM79]

Glad you are achieving your weight loss goals and that you got a deload week in. I also had a deload week and stressful week at work. LOL. Sounds like a great weekend you have planned as well. Didn't know you were also a guitar player? That is one of the many hobbies that I have all but let go since having kids. Hopefully I will get back to it one day... Anyway, looking forward to seeing you get back to it next week. I'll be joining you. Enjoy the weekend my friend.

[GrouchyUSMC]

Getting lean and mean, nice job on the weight loss CPW.

[Cantplankwell]

Great job on the weight loss Alan! IF works really well for those who can do it. Once you get your body set on that schedule it isn't to bad. Nice to use veggies from your own garden.

Sounds like a good weekend you have lined up. Hope you are able to do all of those things and relax.

Have a great weekend.

Glad you are achieving your weight loss goals and that you got a deload week in. I also had a deload week and stressful week at work. LOL. Sounds like a great weekend you have planned as well. Didn't know you were also a guitar player? That is one of the many hobbies that I have all but let go since having kids. Hopefully I will get back to it one day... Anyway, looking forward to seeing you get back to it next week. I'll be joining you. Enjoy the weekend my friend.

Getting lean and mean, nice job on the weight loss CPW.

Thanks fellas, weekend mostly turned out well, except have to wait till the Raptors play this evening, The Jays...well what can I say. The guitar playing is a recent "covid" skill I am starting to pick up. Thanks for the encouragement on the weight loss, this weekend I probably ate too much, visited a place call the schnitzel shack...need I say more . Back on track this week for sure.

[Cantplankwell]

This morning

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Warm Up: Jump rope for a couple of minutes, abbreviated Catalyst warm up:

More Warm Up: BTN Jerks, just a few light sets.

Squats
65kg x 6
65kg x 6
65kg x 6

RDLS..deficit. (Sub for lying leg curls)
49kg x 8
49kg x 8
49kg x 8

Chins (assist with grey band)
10
10
8

Dips (BW)
8
8
8

Farmers Walk
45lb grip plate each hand, walk for 30 seconds rest 1 minute, x 6

Conditioning/Cardio
Row 200 Calories....this evening after work.


Notes: Did not weigh in since last installment, this weekend activity row friday evening, and walking sat and sun morning.

Felt Weak as a Kitten on the squats, added a KG and did not handle it well. Everything else went OK, a kg here a rep there.

Broke my IF this morning, felt I had to eat before squatting. I dont believe IF causes a magical process to kick in, its just a way to control calorie intake, so I believe you can turn it off and on. With the squats I am close to a point of no progress, until I get back to eating at maintenance dont expect much volume increase, it will come in dribs and drab, always feel weak on that lift.

Have a good day!

[TM79]

Nice looking session CPW. Yeah, adding a little extra weight can be brutal sometimes. I'm no scientist but I've been doing IF for years (just because I rarely eat breakfast) and see absolutely no benefit to it. If you feel like you're going to die by lunchtime, I'd say that's not a good thing. Keep up the great work my friend!

[shaneinga]

Nice work CPW. Agree on IF. Use as necessary and if you feel like you need to eat, eat.

[Cantplankwell]

Nice looking session CPW. Yeah, adding a little extra weight can be brutal sometimes. I'm no scientist but I've been doing IF for years (just because I rarely eat breakfast) and see absolutely no benefit to it. If you feel like you're going to die by lunchtime, I'd say that's not a good thing. Keep up the great work my friend!

Nice work CPW. Agree on IF. Use as necessary and if you feel like you need to eat, eat.

Morning boys, the IF does not bother me most days, its a bit easier at work because there is no kitchen here, and no restaurants (that I would like to eat at) nearby, the morning is usually hectic and it goes by fast. Its more difficult at home because there is always food there.

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Earlier:

Warm Up: just a few minutes of jumping rope, abbreviated catalyst warm up

Floor Presses (sub for incline dumbbell press)
45kg x 8
45kg x 8
45kg x 8

Landmine one arm rows (PWO)(sub for same with dumbbells)
16kg x 8
16kg x 8
16kg x 8

Bulgarian Split Squat
25lbs x 8
25lbs x 8
25lbs x 8

Barbell Good Mornings (sub for back extensions)
20kg x 8
20kg x 6
40kg x 6
40kg x 8
40kg x 8

Calf Work
45lbs x 22
45lbs x 22
45lbs x 23

Notes: No Conditioning, no weigh or measuring... skipped the cleans/power cleans this morning and got straight to work, which was performed fasted. Walk tonight after work for 30-40 minutes.

Have a great day!

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T-Nation "Three days a week is all you need"

Warm Up: Jump rope for 10 minutes, minimal catalyst warm up

More Warm UP: Complex: Snatch High Pull+Snatch...bunch of these up to 38kg...easy

Snatch Dead Lift, Snatch start Pos, wide snatch grip (sub for dead lifts)
60kg x 8
60kg x 8
60kg x 8

Seated Dumbbell Press
25lbs x 14
25lbs x 14
25lbs x 12

Cable Pull Downs-Chin Up Grip
102.5lbs x 12
102.5lbs x 12
102.5lbs x 10

Hammer Curls
25lbs x 8
25lbs x 8
26lbs x 8

Overhead Tricep Cable Extensions (sub for PRJ Pull overs)
45lbs x 8
45lbs x 6
45lbs x 6

Finisher
2.5km Run

Notes

No Weigh in, Waist at 34"
Worked out performed fasted
Snatches felt good, easy fast bar
Other stuff a rep or two or kg or so here and there extra
Thats it, have a great weekend folks

Alan

[shaneinga]

Kicking azz in here Alan. Couple great looking workouts and even without the weigh in your naval measurement is headed the right way so those pounds must be coming off.

Have a great weekend!

[Cantplankwell]

Kicking azz in here Alan. Couple great looking workouts and even without the weigh in your naval measurement is headed the right way so those pounds must be coming off.

Have a great weekend!

Thanks Shane, I hope I am heading in the right direction, I am getting tired of operating at near stall at my p*ssy weights, feel very weak. Hope to at least eat at maintenance in a couple of weeks.

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Warm Up: Freestyle jump rope for 5-10 min. Catalyst athletics warm up
More Warm Up:BTN Jerks, some triples, doubles, singles light weight.

Squats:
65kg x 7
65kg x 7
65kg x 7

RDLS:
50kg x 8
50kg x 8
50kg x 8

Chins (Band Assist...skinny red band)
5
5
5
8 (Back up to the grey band)

Dips (BW)
8
6
5

Farmers Carry
45lb grip plate each hand
walk 30 seconds rest 30 seconds x 6

Notes

Last night 20km Road bike with my Son, double quick time!...37 minutes , hit 30km/h or more for an extended time. Was mainly a lot of sprinting to stay ahead of him

A kg or two, and a rep or two extra here and there. The skinny red band on the chins was not doing much at all, mostly me.

Have a great day.

[StinnerOzz]

Almost time for unassisted pullups? If you haven't yet, try doing some negatives where you assist yourself up and then fight the negative portion. Even if you can't pull yourself up entirely, this will still allow you to do the "muscle breakdown" part of the movement and you'll progress pretty quickly.

For Hammer Curls, not sure if you're aiming for bicep thickness or forearm size, but one trick I found for upper thickness was to 1) not wrap my thumb, 2) kick my elbow back a little similar to a drag curl, 3) squeeze upper biceps HARD at the top for 3s each rep (you've seen my journal, haha). This helps add stress to the brachialis over the brachioradialis, which for ME was a huge sticking point in my biceps development. Of course we all differ, but building off of a skinnier frame, I needed this a lot. I notice many do. The crazy part is before I knew it, my biceps started overshadowing my triceps (again, you've probably seen my sob in my journal about it - lol). I always felt hammer curls but never could get much in the way of results until I started slowing it down, doing the add-weight clusters, etc.

Anyway...

Are you seeing more overall physique improvement lately with all this?

[Cantplankwell]

Almost time for unassisted pullups? If you haven't yet, try doing some negatives where you assist yourself up and then fight the negative portion. Even if you can't pull yourself up entirely, this will still allow you to do the "muscle breakdown" part of the movement and you'll progress pretty quickly.

For Hammer Curls, not sure if you're aiming for bicep thickness or forearm size, but one trick I found for upper thickness was to 1) not wrap my thumb, 2) kick my elbow back a little similar to a drag curl, 3) squeeze upper biceps HARD at the top for 3s each rep (you've seen my journal, haha). This helps add stress to the brachialis over the brachioradialis, which for ME was a huge sticking point in my biceps development. Of course we all differ, but building off of a skinnier frame, I needed this a lot. I notice many do. The crazy part is before I knew it, my biceps started overshadowing my triceps (again, you've probably seen my sob in my journal about it - lol). I always felt hammer curls but never could get much in the way of results until I started slowing it down, doing the add-weight clusters, etc.

Anyway...

Are you seeing more overall physique improvement lately with all this?

Hi Stinner!....These are Chin-Ups...I have always thought they were more bang for the buck regarding upper body development .Crap, I had forget about the negatives! Pull ups are so much harder, that will be later on.

As far as thickness and size...I could use that all over my arms, I am peaking the movement and not locking out, trying to move slowly and hold as much at the maximum points of stress....if that makes any sense. Ill try the squeezing next time they come around.

Actually I am seeing some development, most noticeably in my shoulders, I can actually notice the roundness of the delts in the corner of my eyes..LOL, my quads are showing some development as well as I fill the ass out of my cycle riding shorts a bit more. With this program I started "Too light" as Wendler would say...maybe way too light, after a few months of this I am just starting to come into the region where I have to start to work a little harder for those last couple of reps on most exercises...so I still think I am below 70% on a lot of stuff. My understanding is I need to do more than 70% at 8-10 reps to trigger an adaptation. Most of my "development" is probably coming from losing weight. Once I get back to maintenance, or a little surplus and begin to get more above 70% and adding a rep or two I think things might pop a little more.

[Cantplankwell]

Program: T Nation: "Three Days A Week Is All You Need" ....
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/3-...s-all-you-need

Warm Up: Jump rope freestyle, Catalyst athletics warm up

More Warm Up: few sets of Power cleans up to 60kg

Floor Press (sub for incline dumbbell press)
46kg x 8
46kg x 8
46kg x 8

One Arm Landmine Rows (PWO)(sub for dumbbells)
18kg x 8
18kg x 8
18kg x 8

Bulgarian Split Squat with dumbbells (total weight)
50lbs x 8
50lbs x 8
50lbs x 8

Barbell Good Morning(sub for back extensions)
40kg x 8
40kg x 8
40kg x 8

Calves

Thats it, rare summer evening session

See you Friday