Monte's Log, Featuring a Debate About Dotard Genetic Potential with an Ant
Brief Background
Long time lurker who recently registered. I'm 31 years old, 6'4", and 220 pounds. When I graduated college 10 years ago, I was the same height, but weighed 165 pounds. After college, I found the gym and packed on a lot of muscle over the subsequent 2 year period of working out, but did the typical broish bench/curl-centric exercise routine while rarely squatting or deadlifting (i.e. I maxed out at 330 benching and 235 squatting). Since then, I've periodically gotten back in the gym for six months or a year at a time, but never consistently.
Recent Workouts
Recently I've been doing 3 sets of 40 pushups and a total of ~25 pullups 4-5 times a week, and also playing squash a few times a week. Since beginning squash (which is very high impact), I've been having periodic weakness/pain in my right knee, but other than that no issues except chronically tight hamstrings.
My Plan
This is yet another starting SS log; I'll be doing the version with pullups/chinups and without PCs (at least to start), but I will be deadlifting for the first two weeks or so until my gains start to level off. I've read the book and the wiki, and I'll be starting on Monday. I've purchased the appropriate lifting shoes and chalk, and I'll be doing foam rolling on my problem areas post-workout. I also plan to purchase Assess and Correct or something similar shortly in order to work on my flexibility issues.
My diet is pretty decent, with a lot of skim milk/oatmeal/protein bars/lean meats/veggies on my good days (at work), with the occasional pizza and beer meal thrown in (usually weekend). I haven't been doing daily tracking, but I plugged in an average day and I'm around 2800-3000 calories with around 150 grams of protein a day.
My Goals
This log is mostly for motivation. I'm not entirely sure but I would guess my body fat percentage is somewhere between 20 and 25%, so I guess I'm shooting for recomposition. I don't have many specific goals in mind. My main goal is to get stronger, especially in my lower body (maybe get my combined deadlift+squat+bench to 1000 lbs). I'd also like to tighten up my midsection and lose the 15 or so pounds of extra weight I'd guess I'm carrying around my gut.
Questions
-I'm assuming I should up my protein intake? I'm not really sure what my LBM is exactly, but if I use the 1.5 g/lb LBM I should up the protein to between 225 and 250 g/day, correct? I can throw a scoop or two of protein powder into my morning and evening skim milk if necessary.
-I'll be lifting at lunch with a coworker; this is the first time I haven't worked out in late afternoon. I am used to having a post workout recovery shake (e.g. Endurox) and then eating my largest meal of the day 1-1.5 hours post-workout. Should that still be the case if I'm working out at lunch -- that is, should my lunch be dinner sized, and should my dinner portion be smaller?
-Any tips or suggestions from other tall guys, or people who've trained with tall guys, about pitfalls or things to avoid involving squatting would be welcome. I suspect the answer is "shut up and lift weight" but just thought I'd ask.
Thanks in advance!
6/21
A
I've decided I'm going to do an 8 week 5k training block to get some speed work in, which I've been neglecting; that will give me a somewhat abbreviated 12 week marathon block thereafter. May be a disaster, but I've been doing a lot of long, slow work, so hopefully this will be a nice change that sparks some different adaptation.
I'm not the marathon plan expert but it would seem to me that the +12 week plans are for un/barely conditioned runners but for someone like you who is in the 'keen amateur running year round' category and would be coming off a very good base that 12 weeks would be more than enough. And the 5k plan sounds like fun and also more appropriate for summer.
have you got a 5k PR to aim for?
I'm not the marathon plan expert but it would seem to me that the +12 week plans are for un/barely conditioned runners but for someone like you who is in the 'keen amateur running year round' category and would be coming off a very good base that 12 weeks would be more than enough. And the 5k plan sounds like fun and also more appropriate for summer.
have you got a 5k PR to aim for?
Re: this mixed training plan; I guess we'll see! I actually picked a 12 week plan, but I'm out of town for the weekend where I'd "race", so I think I'll just time trial it on the track. The pie in the sky goal is sub-20:00, but I think sub-21:00 is pretty likely and sub-20:30 is (maybe?) doable.
Re: this Frankenstein'd training, I'm just going to keep an eye on total volume and try to make sure my mileage stays within range of what I'd expect to be doing for my marathon plan (40-55 miles per week) and add some more really easy recovery work to get some more time on feet if I feel like I can handle it. Eyeballing this week, it looks like I'm scheduled for something in the 40 mile range, which should be about right. I'll have to push some of the longer Sunday runs slightly later in the marathon program than they otherwise would be, but as long as I taper appropriately I think I should be ok.
6/24
A
NG Pullups: x13, x10, x8
Walking Lunges: 30s x12x3
B
OHP: wu, 100 x10, x9, x7
HLRs: x8x3
Seated Calf: 3x13
Facepulls: 4x15
C
Leg Ext: x20, x15
Leg Curl: x20, x15
D
Low Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x10, x8, x7
Pallofs: x10x3
E
Adductor Machine: x15x2
Abductor Machine: x15x2
F
DB LTEs: 35s x13, x8, x7
DB Seated Incline Curl: 20s x15, x13, x11
45 degree side bends: bw x8x3
A bit bloated from some weekend festivities, but still a nice, reasonably challenging session with a bit of progress. I haven't been noting session RPE, but everything is in the 6-7 range within the context of my EV style lower body training, which given my running volume, seems about right.
6/25
General Aerobic Run
7.00 mi - 1:02:00/8:51 pace/147 HR
Still a bit hot this morning, but fine enough.
6/26
A
Incline Bench: wu, 145 x10x2, x8
Seated Calf: 3x13
Back Extensions: +5 x 10x3
Facepulls: 4x15
B
Single Leg Press: +95 x10, x9, x8
C
Seated DB OHP : 50s x11, x9, x8
DB Incline Row: 70s x10, x9, x8
D
Hip Thrust Machine: +35 x10x3
Dips (paused): +0 x8x2, x7
E
Abductor Machine: 2x15
Adductor Machine: 2x15
F
Bayesian Curl: x15, x13, x11
Lateral Cable Raise: x15, x13, x11
Treadmill Recovery Run
3.00 mi - 32:33/10:51 pace/135 HR
Pretty k; my first big track interval session is tomorrow, so we'll see how things go.
6/27
Goal Pace Intervals
400m_1 - 1:36.3/6:27 pace
400m_2 - 1:35.6/6:25 pace
400m_3 - 1:33.8/6:27 pace
400m_4 - 1:32.6/6:13 pace
400m_5 - 1:37.4/6:32 pace
400m_6 - 1:35.8/6:25 pace
400m_7 - 1:36.7/6:29 pace
400m_8 - 1:36.0/6:26 pace
400m_9 - 1:37.5/6:32 pace
400m_10 - 1:34.8/6:21 pace
400m_11 - 1:34.8/6:21 pace
400m_12 - 1:32.3/6:11 pace
This was programmed as 12x400m with 300m jogging recoveries; I was able to jog the first four recoveries, but my HR was only back down to 171 when I started my fifth interval, so I walked the rest - I ended up doing the 3600 total recovery meters in 29:45, and that kept my HR on the intervals down to a semi-reasonable level. I have 8x600m intervals at this pace with 400m recoveries in two weeks, so I'll just play it by ear.
All in all, with the half hour warmup and cooldown, this was just short of 12 miles in around 1:49:00; I'm feeling surprisingly good now, but we'll see how I'm moving around tomorrow.
good to see your giant warm up and cool downs have transferred from the erg to the track
I'm just doing what's programmed!
6/28
PM
A
RFESS: +40 x10x3
NG Pullups: +25 x8, x7, x6
B
Bench: wu, 175 x10x2, x9
Facepulls: 4x15
Seated Calf: 3x13
Farmer's Carries (85 lb DBs): x~40 sec, x~35 sec, x~30 sec
C
Incline Bench: 65s x10, x8, x6
DB Pullovers: 75 x14, x11, x9
D
Step-ups: +30 x8x3
E
Leg Adductor: 2x15
Leg Abductor: 2x15
F
Overhead Rope Tri: x17, x13, x11
DB Hammer: 30s x12x2, x10
Fine enough, especially considering the gym had no A/C.
6/29
AM
General Aerobic Run
7.00 mi - 1:02:27/8:55 pace/147 HR
In the 80s and raining pretty steadily during this, but still happy to have gotten it in.
6/30
AM
General Aerobic Run
90:00 - 10.21 mi/8:49 pace/146 HR
Meh. Ok not great.
6/24
PM
A
NG Pullups: x13, x11, x8
Walking Lunges: 30s x12, 35s x8x2
B
OHP: wu, 100 x10x2, x8
HLRs: x8x3
Seated Calf: 3x13
Facepulls: 4x15
C
Leg Ext: x20, x16
Leg Curl: x20, x16
D
Low Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x10, x9, x8
Pallofs: x10, x9, x8
E
Adductor Machine: x15x2
Abductor Machine: x15x2
F
DB LTEs: 35s x13, x9, x7
DB Seated Incline Curl: 25s x8x3
Forgot my sneakers so I worked out in my work shoes; made me think of that ISF meme from back in the day.
Chicago just toughened up on the qualifying standards. Time to hit the lottery bro, it's in November.
Chicago just toughened up on the qualifying standards. Time to hit the lottery bro, it's in November.
Already signed up for the Monumental in November; going to go for 3:20 with a stretch goal of 3:15. Don't think qualifying for a major is going to be in the cards for another few years at least.
7/2
AM
Easy Run + Strides
60:00 - 6.82 mi/8:47 pace/143 HR
Did half an hour easy, then the strides, then half an hour easy to cool down; strides were 0:20 on with 1:00 recovery, and I averaged a 5:49 pace. Ended up doing 8.2 miles total including the recoveries, so a decent little session.
7/3
AM
Recovery Run
40:00 - 4.16 mi/9:40 pace/132 HR
A
Single Leg Press: +90 x10, x9, x8
B
Incline Bench: wu, 155 x7, x6, x5
Seated Calf: 3x13
Back Extensions: +5 x 12, x11, x10
Facepulls: 4x15
C
Abductor Machine: 2x15
Adductor Machine: 2x15
D
Seated DB OHP : 45s x13, x11, x10
DB Incline Row: 70s x10, x9, x8
E
Hip Thrust Machine: +45 x8x3
Dips (paused): +0 x8x3
F
Bayesian Curl: x10x3
Lateral Cable Raise: x10x2, x8
K enough.
7/4
Road Intervals
1000m_1 - 4:31.2/7:16 pace
1000m_2 - 4:23.8/7:05 pace
1000m_3 - 4:21.5/7:01 pace
1000m_4 - 4:21.7/7:01 pace
1000m_5 - 4:21.5/7:01 pace
200m_1 - 0:44.1/5:55 pace
200m_2 - 0:46.0/6:10 pace
200m_3 - 0:43.9/5:53 pace
The target for this workout was 6-8 1k repeats @7:07-7:19/mi and 3 200m repeats @6:13-6:33/mi, each with 200m recoveries. It was raining the entire time, and I went out a bit too hot on the 1ks and EV'd out on the last few. Warmup and cooldown was 50 minutes and roughly 5.7mi combined. Total was a bit over 10 miles in a bit under 90 minutes, so still a decent workout, if a bit abridged from what was programmed.
I'll need to take it down a notch the next time I do this one.
7/6
AM
Recovery Run - Treadmill
5.00 mi - 50:00/10:00 pace/130 HR
7/7
AM
Long Run
10.29 mi - 1:30:00/8:45 pace/151 HR
Ran yesterday in my hotel and on a trail outside of town today - I'm in New Hampshire for my yearly lake vacation, so some different scenery. It was already 81 by the time this run finished, but it was mostly shaded, so not too bad.
7/9
AM
General Aerobic Run
60:00 - 6.79 mi/8:50 pace/148 HR
Another trail run; nicely shaded but still pretty hot. The bigger issue was getting hammered the night before.
7/11
AM
600m Goal Pace Intervals
600m_1 - 2:22.4/6:22 pace/172 HR
600m_2 - 2:22.8/6:23 pace/169 HR
600m_3 - 2:20.2/6:16 pace/170 HR
600m_4 - 2:21.7/6:20 pace/171 HR
600m_5 - 2:21.2/6:19 pace/172 HR
600m_6 - 2:22.5/6:22 pace/173 HR
600m_7 - 2:18.8/6:12 pace/174 HR
600m_8 - 2:22.4/6:22 pace/174 HR
Did a half hour warmup at easy pace, and wasn't feeling great; it was already in the low 80s when I started the intervals so I just decided to walk the recoveries (400m, so a shade over 3:30) to make sure I could get through the intervals. Target pace was 6:25, so about a 2:24 interval - was happy to hit all of these. Cut the cooldown short at ten minutes, so this ended up being about an hour and a half from start to finish.
7/12
AM
Recovery Run
40:00 - 4.10 mi/9:45 pace/134 HR
7/13
AM
Easy Run
6.82 mi - 1:00:00/8:48 pace/149 HR
7/14
AM
Progression Run
70:00 - 7.94 mi/8:48 pace/149 HR
10:00 - 1.31 mi/7:38 pace/175 HR
First two runs were in New Hampshire; arrived home last night at 1 am and I'm in an Uber to the airport right now. I did manage to fit in this morning's run, but didn't have the top end of the progression run range in me (10-20 minutes programmed), so I called it early. It is truly oppressively hot and humid right now, so hopefully this work in the heat gets me something during race season.
My guess it makes you worse, than had you followed heart rate alone.
But then there are donks like Steve magness who think you become superman in heat and can throw heart rate out the window.
My guess it makes you worse, than had you followed heart rate alone.
But then there are donks like Steve magness who think you become superman in heat and can throw heart rate out the window.
Quite possibly, but my ego will not allow me to slow down. Quite the conundrum.
7/4
Road Intervals
1000m_1 - 4:31.2/7:16 pace
1000m_2 - 4:23.8/7:05 pace
1000m_3 - 4:21.5/7:01 pace
1000m_4 - 4:21.7/7:01 pace
1000m_5 - 4:21.5/7:01 pace
200m_1 - 0:44.1/5:55 pace
200m_2 - 0:46.0/6:10 pace
200m_3 - 0:43.9/5:53 pace
The target for this workout was 6-8 1k repeats @7:07-7:19/mi and 3 200m repeats @6:13-6:33/mi, each with 200m recoveries. It was raining the entire time, and I went out a bit too hot on the 1ks and EV'd out on the last few. Warmup and cooldown was 50 minutes and roughly 5.7mi
A crisp 63 degrees this morning, so a nice departure; even given that, I walked all the recoveries, which bought me about 30 extra seconds during recovery and allowed my HR to come down. Much better effort here than two weeks ago, albeit not in a muggy rainstorm.
7/18
Cruise Intervals
30:00 - 3.37 mi/8:54 pace/135 HR
1000m_1 - 4:30.0/7:14 pace
1000m_2 - 4:21.7/7:01 pace
1000m_3 - 4:20.7/7:00 pace
1000m_4 - 4:18.2/6:56 pace
1000m_5 - 4:20.7/7:00 pace
1000m_6 - 4:22.1/7:02 pace
1000m_7- 4:19.8/6:58 pace
1000m_8 - 4:19.1/6:57 pace
200m_1 - 0:43.6/5:51 pace
200m_2 - 0:46.9/6:17 pace
200m_3 - 0:46.3/6:13 pace
30:00 - 3.35 mi/8:57 pace/149 HR
Including the walking recoveries, ended up totaling just shy of 13.5 miles in ~1:56:00. Happy with this one; next time it comes up I may try jogging every other recovery and see how that works.
7/19
AM
A
RFESS: +40 x8x3
NG Pullups: +25 x8, x7, x6
B
Bench: wu, 185 x7, x6, x5
Facepulls: 4x15
Seated Calf: 3x13
Farmer's Carries (85 lb DBs): x~40 sec, x~35 sec, x~30 sec
C
Incline Bench: 60s x11, x9, x7
DB Pullovers: 75 x12, x19, x7
D
Step-ups: +30 x8x3
E
Leg Adductor: 2x15
Leg Abductor: 2x15
F
Overhead Rope Tri: x15, x12, x10
DB Hammer: 30s x10, x19, x8
First session in a while, and I'll be heading down to the beach in a week so I'll have another week off of lifting. Lightened the load in some places, but everything felt pretty good overall.
7/20
PM
Recovery Run
6.33mi - 1:00:00/9:33 pace/137 HR
7/21
AM
Long Run
2:00:00 - 13.61 mi/8:49 pace/155 HR
Got hammered Friday night, so wasn't able to get going in time to run before mid- to late-afternoon on Saturday; it definitely made today's run a bit harder. I got going about an hour later today than I should have today, such that it was close to 80 degrees when I finished, so all in all not a banner performance by me.
I was up until 5 AM supporting a client in China, so slept in today (unfortunately I'm also back at it tonight). With that said, I feel great right now because I had both a single cup of coffee and pinned some test with breakfast, since their respective risk profiles are exactly the same and I wouldn't want to be a hypocrite by only doing one of them.
7/22
PM
A
NG Pullups: x13, x10, x8
Walking Lunges: 35s x8x3
B
OHP: wu, 100 x10x2, x7
HLRs: x8x3
Seated Calf: 3x13
Facepulls: 4x15
C
Leg Ext: x20, x16
Leg Curl: x20, x16
D
Low Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x9, x8, x7
Pallofs: x10, x9, x8
E
Adductor Machine: x15x2
Abductor Machine: x15x2
F
DB LTEs: 35s x11, x9, x7
DB Seated Incline Curl: 25s x8x3
Not bad; I also walked for 30 minutes afterwards on the treadmill.
I'm going to be working from the beach next week, so I'll probably just skip lifting that week and just run. Back to both the week after.
Doesn't make sense to skip lifting if you're pinning test. At least do some pushups on the boardwalk or something.
hahahaha awesome, love it.
7/24
PM
Easy Run
7.0 mi - 1:01:46/8:49 pace/146 HR
7/25
AM
Recovery Run
60:00 - 6.24 mi/9:37 pace/133 HR
Dragging a bit today getting back on a normal schedule; ran yesterday in 85 degree heat, but this morning was a fair bit nicer. Not sure I'm going to have it in me to lift tonight, but we'll see.
