It actually did; I'd connected the Polar app to Google Fit and just run off of the display on Polar - it just took a while to load to Google. Seems fine enough outside of my band cutting out occasionally.

W17D1: 9/5
A
Squat: wu, 215x8x3 (+2 reps)
NG Pullups: bw+30 x5x4, x4 (+1 rep)

B
RFESS: 35s x10, x8x2
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x12x3

C
Single Leg Press: 1.5 plates x8x3
HLRs: bw x12x3

Got wrecked on wine last night so this was a struggle; a nap will definitely be indicated this afternoon. 225 next time on the squat, which will be nice.

9/6: W17D2
A
Bench (paused): wu, 195x8x2, x6 (+1 total rep)
Facepulls: 6x15
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x12x3

B
Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x8, x7x2 (+1 total rep)
DB Pullovers: 80x9x3
HLRs: bw x12x3

C
Dips: bw+30 x8x3
BB Curl: 70x9x3
Back Extensions: bw x14x3

D
Cable Lateral Raise: 3x13
Lu Raise: 3x13
Pallof Press: 3x12

Was thinking about trying to squeeze in a light steady state row this morning, but didn't really have it in me. Hopefully after work. Both benches felt strong, and I had a bit more in the tank - good session overall.

9/4: Ct10K W2D1
1.2 mi - 11:20 (~9:25 min/mi) 142 HR/160 MHR

Right calf has been feeling sore/tight for the last few days; stretched it a bit before and planned to roll it out after the run, but it tightened to the point where I had to stop running, which was a new experience. I'll count this as my short run for the week and do 2.5 Friday and 3.5 Sunday.

Missed the row yesterday afternoon because I forgot I had a date with the wife; maybe I'll get one in Thursday evening.

9/8: W17D4
A
Incline Bench: wu, 155x8x3 (+1 rep)
Pull-ups: bw x8x3, x7x5

B
Front Squat: wu, 175x6x3 (+10 lbs)
Facepulls: 4x15

C
RDLs: 175x10x2, x9x2
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x12x3

D
Seated DB Press: 50s x10x2, x9 (+1 rep)
Chest Supported DB Row: 60s x11x3
HLRs: 3x12

E
Back Extension: bw x14x3
Overhead Cable Tri: x14, x13x2
Pallofs: 3x12
DB Hammer Curl: 30s x13x2, x12

Up late last night doing a fantasy draft, so didn't exactly crush it on sleep; calf is a bit better today but still tight/weak - taking at least a week off of running is probably smart.

Happy to get 8 across on incline bench; front squats were really hard, so I'll probably increase reps slowly for them moving forward.

9/9: W17D5
C2 Row
30:00 (UT2) - 6697 m/2:14.4/15.0 spm

Couldn't get the HRM to connect even after changing the battery, but didn't have a long session in me so I just did something light. Calf feels better but still not healed; I'll give it until I get back from my work trip next week until I consider running again. I'll probably just do my UT2 around this pace from now on to keep the fatigue from doing two types of cardio, especially considering one is going to be stressing me in a new way, more manageable.

That sounds like possible grade 1 calf strain. Good luck with that. 14 days to heal and tends to recur.

That's what I assumed; probably just going to do a 4 week lower volume block of 1-1.5 miles to get my old ass used to running before titrating up to the full 10k plan. I can already do a standing calf raise again, when I couldn't on Wednesday, so I don't think it's too severe. I just think running in general will require a bit more ramping up then I'd hoped/expected.

9/10: W17D6
A
DL: wu, 245x5x3

B
OHP (paused): wu, 125x8x2, x6 (+1 rep)
Facepulls: 6x15
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x12x3

C
DB Bench: 85s x10, x9, x7 (+1 rep)
HLRs: bw x12x3

D
Skullcrushers: 85x12x2, x10
Pallofs: 3x12

E
DB Incline Curl: 25s x12, x11x2
Lu Raises: 3x13

F
Cable Lateral Raise: 3x14
Back Extensions: bw x14x3

DL remains easy, but considering my hip is still a bit stiff in the mornings it seems prudent to keep things measured. OHP was harder than I'd have hoped; the last rep of each of the last two sets were true RPE 9.5-10s. Incremental progress on the assistance work. Mental note to not have wine the night before this workout, because getting up sucked.

W18D1: 9/12
A
Squat: wu, 225x6x3 (+10 lbs)
NG Pullups: bw+30 x5x5 (+1 rep)

B
RFESS: 35s x10, x9, x8
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x13x2, x12

C
Single Leg Press: 1.5 plates x9x2, x8
HLRs: bw x13x3
Pallofs: 3x12

Found a nice gym near the hotel so snuck this in; nice to be back to two plates for squat working sets.

Is this a program you have come up with after lifting for years?

Don't know what program that is, it's pretty damn good. In fact, Monte's overall training is probably 94/100.


Renton 48/100. Too much back breaking bullshiet plus few steps per day.

Arjun 82/100. Not bad, but not as good as monte. Too much random clicking crossfit in there. And everytime I see something like abmat situps stacked with EMOM deadlifts I just sigh.

highpraise.gif

I just threw it together when I started lifting again with my noob buddies; wanted to make sure we focused on actually getting strong without grinding ourselves into dust doing fahves. It's evolved a bit over the last few months, based on content I've been consuming since I came back, but I think the general principles (compounds first, isolation next, evolving rep ranges and/or double progression with very deliberate and gradual increases, hammer upper back, superset where it makes sense to drive work capacity) aren't novel. Plenty of ways to skin the cat.

Supersetting in ab work is new for me, and given how well it's been working out I'm embarrassed it took me this long to realize it.

I agree with all this. Monte's training regime is pretty elite for overall fitness. Renton needs to add a lot of cardio that he enjoys so he can actually sustain a cut because cutting at 1500 calories is just no fun. Mine is good, but has unnecessary crossfit specific things. What would I get upto if I replaced situps with something more useful?

My personal issue with Monte's program is that I just can't be motivated without a specific goal. I am more like feel. He is super into rowing and loses motivation for lifting, although 1-2x a week of lifting is so important for overall fitness and body composition given how much rowing he is doing. But I would feel exactly the same way.

I've actually been lifting 4x/wk for the last 4+ months and dropped off a bit on the rowing, but yes, I do tend to run a bit hot and cold. I think I'm going to start planning Hyrox training after I titrate running back up after my calf heals; not sure what rowing is going to look like in concert with running, but 3x/wk of each without dying is the goal.

9/13: W18D2
A
Bench (paused): wu, 195x8x2, x7 (+1 total rep)
Facepulls: 6x15

B
Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x9, x7x2 (+1 total rep)
DB Pullovers: 80x10x2, x9

C
Dips: bw+30 x9x2, x8
BB Curl: 70x9x3
Lu Raise: 3x14

D
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x13x2, x12
HLRs: bw x13x3

Worked out with a colleague that hasn't lifted in years, so a bit abridged today; the supersets mostly weren't supersets because I wanted to make sure I was there to spot him and didn't want him to be thinking about exercise A while doing exercise B, but this is the rough order of operations.

Another rep on bench; feels like I've been at 195 forever, but trust the process and all that. Heading back home this afternoon.

I like the look of your superset sessions too and it's an efficient way of getting through more volume without many compromises. My offseason rugby was similarish.....I had an A and B split where each day there was a heavy lower and upper body lift done with 4 working sets and then after I had 2 separate tri sets performed 3 times each that covered the entire body.

in terms of ongoing day splits for overall health and fitness, I think what I was doing at the beginning of my h&f journey was about right for me. basically 3 lifting and 3 rowing per week. I felt fantastic, got stronger, managed to add some size and really enjoyed the variety. My plan is to go back to that...or definitely 4 rowing and 2 proper lifting days, once I get through my current rowing goals next Feb.

only lifting 1 or 1.5x per week isn't enjoyable - you can't make progress, you get sore afterwards and there are constant compromises. I need to find a way to get it back over the next 6 months still and I suspect that's going to mean double days.

Although, loco...how many times were you lifting while marathon training?

I really think 3-4 lifting and 3-4 rowing is the sweet spot for a balanced approach that utilizes rowing as cardio.

Got in on a late flight last night and didn't get home until 2 or to sleep until 3, and then had to be up at 7 with the kids since my wife went to a conference. Just ended up doing 5k meters at 2:12 and calling it; with how I feel, just doing anything was a victory.

fitting in an easy 5k around a challenging few days is absolutely GTO. just enough to feel something but small enough to not be intimidating and to be able to squeeze into a gap

9/15: W18D4
A
Front Squat: wu, 175x7, x6x2 (+1 rep)
Pull-ups: bw x8x4, x7x4 (+1 rep)

B
RDLs: 175x10x4
Facepulls: 4x15

C
Incline Bench: wu, 165x6x3 (+10 lbs)
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x13x2, x12
HLRs: 3x13

D
Seated DB Press: 50s x10x3 (+1 rep)
Chest Supported DB Row: 60s x12x3
Pallofs: 3x12

E
Overhead Cable Tri: x14x3
DB Hammer Curl: 30s x13x3

Almost recovered from yesterday's travel; inching along with everything still.

4x3 or 3x4 is optimal. But then even if you double up a cardio with a lifting session, still going 6X per week.


I am currently back on 5/6 x 2. Not a fan, but only way I am going to get competitive at running. Running too popular, these marathon freaks run 90 miles a week at my age to run a marathon 10 minutes faster. Some 2:44 guy threw me under the bus and said I was only theoretician because of my marathon time. He runs more than twice as much mileage and thinks he is a badass. Idiot. Some fair weather Brit who thinks it gets hot in Boston. That's the good life, the London average 71F high for summer days.

Quick 25' UT2 session; diet and sleep haven't been on point since I left for my trip, so I need to get things back under control and get my cardio duration back up to reasonable levels. Planning on running again Wednesday, albeit only a mile per session for the first week.

9/17: W18D6
A
DL: wu, 255x5x2, 245x5

B
OHP (paused): wu, 125x8x2, x7 (+1 rep)
Facepulls: 6x15
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x13x2, x12

C
DB Bench: 85s x10, x9, x8 (+1 rep)
HLRs: bw x13x3
Pallofs: 3x12

D
Skullcrushers: 85x12x2, x11
DB Incline Curl: 25s x12x3
Back Extensions: bw x15x3

E
Lu Raises: 3x14

F
Cable Lateral Raise: 3x15

Bit more everywhere; DL was easy, but form feels more natural. OHP still hard, but I'm getting a little unbalanced as the sets go on, as my left side is a bit weaker. Something to keep an eye on.

W18D7
C2 Row (UT2)
30:00 - 6838m/2:11.6/15.2 spm/147 HR/162 MHR

Trying to figure out what rowing is going to look like since the plan is to start running again Wednesday; feels like I should be able to squeeze UT2 sessions in on the none/lighter lower body lifting days (Tuesday and Saturday) at least, and run on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Feels like I need to get a third rowing day in there somewhere, but we'll see how it goes.

W19D1: 9/19
A
Squat: wu, 225x7x2, x6 (+2 reps)
NG Pullups: bw+30 x6x2, x5x3 (+2 reps)
Facepulls: 4x15

B
Bench (paused): wu, 195x8, x7, x6 (-2 total reps)
RFESS: 35s x10x2, x8
Decline Crunch: bw+10 x14, x13x2

C
Incline DB Bench: wu, 70s x9, x8, x7 (+1 total rep)
DB Pullovers: 80x12, x10, x9
HLRs: bw x14x3

D
Dips: bw+30 x10, x9x2 (+2 reps)
EZ Curl: 75x10, x9x2
Pallofs: 3x12

Decided to switch to full body to give myself an extra day out of the gym, so I recombined the Monday and Tuesday sessions; the only real impact seemed to be bench, where I lost two reps from last week, likely from the added fatigue of already having squatted and then supersetting RFESS. Maybe better to split those completely in the future, although this did take just short of 90 minutes as is.

I did make a bit of progress everywhere else; only other hiccup is that I worked out alone at a different gym due to kid field trip timing - rushed me slightly, so I missed lu raises and back extensions.

Rowed at a gym by work because I got up late today and only had time for a morning run.

9/20: W19D2
Run
1.00mi - 8:53

C2 Row
30:00 (UT2) - 6827 m/2:11.9/~15.7 spm/158 HR/168 MHR

Couldn't get my strap to pair with my phone in the morning, but the run was easy enough and the calf felt fine. The row was also fine enough, though I definitely have less stamina now that my rowing volume is down and my lifting is up. Going to stretch both of these durations out slowly.