JohnButz 2020+

[JohnButz]

I am just messing with you. Good to see you back at it. Sadly no log or gym for me right now... My gym has been closed for months. I actually haven't lifted a weight in months. I have done some boxing and some other things. Honestly not really motivated to do anything right now. My wife and have been working from home since March and the kids have been pretty much home schooled since then as well. The school is trying to back full time but we will see if that happens. Just a little to much stress to really think about anything else. So not only do we work full time now we are also basically full teachers.


On the other hand I have been really busy doing house projects. Over the last 4 months I built a 20x20 deck in my back yard, built a paver patio across my front yard area and another small one on my back yard.

Sounds like a full plate with work and doing double duty as an educator. I'm hearing that quite often at the shop where parents are at their wits end, basically like taking a 2nd job. I tip my hat to you on the deck/patio. I've always been impressed with those that can build things by hand.

Looks like a really solid session. Hypothetically, what tweaks would you making, knowing what you now know after having done this for a while?

Thanks Bro! Regarding the tweaks, my primary goal(s) are health first, aesthetics next, and being strong a close second. Fortunately, they are not mutually exclusive.

Looking back this morning marks at least 50 straight days of some form of either direct strength training, or at the very least ample calisthenics. No rest days at all.

In respect of my goals, health is good. I am a believer that energy=health, and that is solid. One of the only things that I can count on in this upside-down world we are currently in.

Aesthetics.....

I'm happy, but not/never completely satisfied. With my 50th birthday just 4 months away, I feel blessed for the health I have, but damn, I need a little thickness. Particularly in the chest, and traps.


So, I know adjustments will need to happen. The heavy weighted dips are the GOAT for triceps and others, but may not quite engage the pecs like a simple push-up, or Incline pressing variation.

Back thickness/traps.....

I'm thinking. I just need to keep pulling horizontally. The deads, the farmers walks, but I may need to add a dumbbell row, or maybe cleans.

[Raigs]

Adding some more deads and adding weight will grow the trunk. Im on the same page as you for goals Dont need to be huge but some thickness would be nice. Do you mess around with the lean on dips? Lean forward more will hit the chest. Time under tension creates gains you could play around with pause sets on deads and the dips

[JohnButz]

Adding some more deads and adding weight will grow the trunk. Im on the same page as you for goals Dont need to be huge but some thickness would be nice. Do you mess around with the lean on dips? Lean forward more will hit the chest. Time under tension creates gains you could play around with pause sets on deads and the dips

Thanks Man! I have messed around with chest dips in the past, it's been a while though. At one point last year, I was playing around with a singles program, based on some ideas from Steve Justa.

[JohnButz]

12.17.2020

Training:

D. Swings 15x15,15

Reverse Lunges 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,5=50
Wide-Grip Pull-ups 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,5=50
Dips 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,5=50

Scale read 142.5. This was a fast paced workout, very easy, just accumulating volume. For the diet, instead of the back to back high caloric days, I had one on this past Saturday, then again on Wednesday. Just an experiment, and it gives me some flexibility with the holidays coming.

[jwtiger69]

Sounds like a full plate with work and doing double duty as an educator. I'm hearing that quite often at the shop where parents are at their wits end, basically like taking a 2nd job. I tip my hat to you on the deck/patio. I've always been impressed with those that can build things by hand.

It hasn't been fun or easy. I have still been coaching my daughters competitive soccer team and we put my son in taekwondo. That adds another 3-4 things a week.. Sadly soccer never went anywhere other than practice, but we just focused on getting the kids out. Surprisingly I have managed to drop about 16 pounds over the last few months. Not really working out other than walking a lot around my neighborhood and being busy with everything else.


Enough about me... I am glad to see things are going good you.

[JohnButz]

It hasn't been fun or easy. I have still been coaching my daughters competitive soccer team and we put my son in taekwondo. That adds another 3-4 things a week.. Sadly soccer never went anywhere other than practice, but we just focused on getting the kids out. Surprisingly I have managed to drop about 16 pounds over the last few months. Not really working out other than walking a lot around my neighborhood and being busy with everything else.


Enough about me... I am glad to see things are going good you.

Thanks Brother! These are some difficult times for sure. Any news when the soccer will resume?

[JohnButz]

12.18.2020

Training:

D. Swings: 15x15,15
Squats 166.5x5,5
Deads 205x5,5
Dips BW+103x5,5
Chin-Ups BW+53x5,5
Shrug/Cleans 15x20
OHP 103x4+1
Farmers Walks 205x80FT.







Scale read 141.5. Decent session, but failed on the OHP for some reason. I'll try it again next time.

[JohnButz]

12.19.2020

Training:

D. Swings 15x15,15
Reverse Lunges 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50
Wide-Grip Pull-ups 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50
Dips 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50

Scale dropped down to 140.5. This is about as low as I have been for years/decades (except of my tenure as a waiter, where I'd be walking/sprinting for the entire shift, but I wasn't carrying as much muscle.) I'm seeing some increased definition in the entire back complex.

[JohnButz]

12.20.2020

Training:

Reverse Lunges 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2= 50
Wide Grip Pull-ups 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2= 50
Dips 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2= 50

Scale weight was 140.5. I'll be doing a refeed today/tonight. This is a series of what might turn out to be 3 straight days of calisthenics, or I may possibly take Monday off completely from training. The schedule is full in the lead up to Christmas.

[Raigs]

Nice work on keeping up with the workouts being so busy. Feel you on taking some days off this week. Work itself will be the workout. The sizes of orders we have coming in will be my lifting for the day. A large case of lettuce is like 35# wth

[400Lb Gorilla]

Videos!!! lol solid work and form on all those lifts. You made all of those lifts look easy. Even the presses looked easy for you until you got to the 5th rep.

[Woody-5]

Strong work! Those weighted dips are nuts!
You crushed the first 4 in that OHP video... Looked like you were gonna keep going to 10+!

love the 50 rep calisthenics sessions- That's gotta get that blood flowing!

[JohnButz]

Nice work on keeping up with the workouts being so busy. Feel you on taking some days off this week. Work itself will be the workout. The sizes of orders we have coming in will be my lifting for the day. A large case of lettuce is like 35# wth

Thanks! Yeah, the way the week falls, I'm looking at Tuesday being possibly my first day of no exercise in nearly 60 days. Are you guys closed for any of the holidays? I'm usually open Christmas Eve, but this year, I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity for a day off.

Videos!!! lol solid work and form on all those lifts. You made all of those lifts look easy. Even the presses looked easy for you until you got to the 5th rep.

Strong work! Those weighted dips are nuts!
You crushed the first 4 in that OHP video... Looked like you were gonna keep going to 10+!

love the 50 rep calisthenics sessions- That's gotta get that blood flowing!

Thanks Gents! My OHP is not good. While I was waiting for a delivery truck yesterday, I started to sketch out my training for the coming weeks. I think I'm going to switch things up a little. The diet will stay, but while I'm digging the frequency work, I'm not sure if it will be sustainable going into January/February.

[JohnButz]

12.21.2020

Training:

D. Swings 15x15,15
Reverse Lunges 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50
Wide Grip Pull-ups 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50
Dips 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5=50

I wasn't sure what to do today to be honest. I was up against the clock, knowing I had maybe 30 minutes tops to train. I really wanted to test max reps in the strength movements, but that was going to take way too long. So, I decided just to bang out more BW work.

While wanting for my order, I jotted down some ideas for training (and actually other areas of life) in anticipation of the coming weeks.

[CW47]

That's some good work in a short time frame. The end of the year is always a great time to make plans for the future.
I'm excited to see what you have in mind.

[Raigs]

Way to get it in today and not let the clock crush your motivation.

Smart thinking in forward thinking about planning out what’s next.

We are open 365 days. Barring covid lol. We make all our money these next 3 months really though. Ski season is big money.

[JohnButz]

That's some good work in a short time frame. The end of the year is always a great time to make plans for the future.
I'm excited to see what you have in mind.

Thanks! I really love to train daily, but my reality for the foreseeable future, schedule-wise, is looking like I may have to forgo any type of long-winded sessions. Some of these workouts were literally 15-20 minutes, while some ventured into 1:30 territory.

Way to get it in today and not let the clock crush your motivation.

Smart thinking in forward thinking about planning out what’s next.

We are open 365 days. Barring covid lol. We make all our money these next 3 months really though. Ski season is big money.

Thank You! I can imagine you guys are going to get crushed in the lead up to the new year. I'm bracing for tonight. Christmas eve/eve is always an adventure!

[JohnButz]

12.22-24.2020

Tuesday's pause in training, turned into, Wednesday, and then today too it looks like. I may go out for a 2-miler for the first time in a couple months. Hopefully, I can get a workout in tomorrow.

Crazy, crazy schedule lately.

[400Lb Gorilla]

So you are getting a nice training break and collecting your thoughts for the next phase...

whats it looking like for the next few weeks/months?

[JohnButz]

So you are getting a nice training break and collecting your thoughts for the next phase...

whats it looking like for the next few weeks/months?

Yeah, I think the rest came at just about the right time. Occasionally, I get tendonitis in my right elbow, from all things, would you believe taking pizzas from the oven to the boxes. Sounds crazy, but the reps are in the 1000's. I was feeling it ever so slightly on Wednesday eve, We got crushed.

I think I'm going to do a somewhat abbreviated approach, Full body, probably 3 days per week. Hopefully a little running/conditioning on the in between days. I really hope to be able to return to the frequency work I was doing at some point. I feel like I can take what I learned, the good, bad, ugly, and modify/perfect. Merry Christmas!

[Filmbuff81]

Strong work.

I kindly demand pizza porn 🤤

[JohnButz]

Strong work.

I kindly demand pizza porn ������

Thanks Man! Will do!

[JohnButz]

12.25.2020

After a mini-break in the action, I wanted to do a workout before the Christmas festivities, somewhat of a bridge workout, before I start a new plan on Sunday or Monday.

Today, I did a large volume of squats & bench presses (I haven't benched for quite a while.) The squats felt great, but the top sets were a bit of a struggle.

Next up was body weight pull-ups & dips. Pull-ups: 18,15,14,13,13=73 Dips: 20,20,20,20,20=100.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I'm expecting another crazy/long day at work, so no training.

[JohnButz]

12.28.2020

Training:

D. Swings 15x15,15
Incline Bench 120x10,10,8
Dips BW+100x5, BW+75x7, BW+55x10
Lateral Raises 12x12,12,12
Lying Extensions 35x10, 40x10, 45x10

Still figuring things out programming-wise. I'm projecting that my schedule will slightly ease up in the new year. For now it's by the seat of my pants.

[Woody-5]

hope you had a great Christmas fella!

I love the long weekends but the short work weeks are killing me from a production standpoint- still trying to fit 5 days of work into 3-4

killer reppage in that last session, upper body pump had to be legit!

[400Lb Gorilla]

You did a benchpress workout and have not told us what you benched? Remember, every time you tell what you bench, another bro gets a bicep pump!

Seriously, solid work and great volume for a "by the seat of your pants" workout lol. I call them weeks Randomness weeks. They usually fill in the gaps while I am trying to figure out how to put a stupid amount of work into a 5 day time frame and still get just enough rest and recovery to not die. Good luck in the new year.

[Filmbuff81]

Way to get some work in with everything being crazy.

[Raigs]

Hey man I hope you made it through Christmas. Now we need to get ready for New Years.

[JohnButz]

hope you had a great Christmas fella!

I love the long weekends but the short work weeks are killing me from a production standpoint- still trying to fit 5 days of work into 3-4

killer reppage in that last session, upper body pump had to be legit!

Thanks Woody! yeah, I've been training low rep for so long, I forgot all about the pump sensation.

You did a benchpress workout and have not told us what you benched? Remember, every time you tell what you bench, another bro gets a bicep pump!

Seriously, solid work and great volume for a "by the seat of your pants" workout lol. I call them weeks Randomness weeks. They usually fill in the gaps while I am trying to figure out how to put a stupid amount of work into a 5 day time frame and still get just enough rest and recovery to not die. Good luck in the new year.

Thanks Man! The past couple of weeks have all been random it seems. I guess I'm chalking it up to a deload. I'm really hoping that I can get some routine of a schedule after the new year.

Way to get some work in with everything being crazy.

Thanks FB!

Hey man I hope you made it through Christmas. Now we need to get ready for New Years.

The lead up to Christmas was wild! I'm thinking we are in for it for New Years. I have been asking customers about their plans, and most are saying "We are just staying in," which means probably a crazy new years eve. Typically, New Years Day is slower, but 2020?

[Raigs]

Yeah we got crushed for NYE over 40k in sales :O busier then christmas haha. I hope you survived!