New Template and some videos

I've shifted my template to a more kettlebell focus in the assistance lifts. I want to continue with the 531 program because I love the hormone response from lifting heavy weight. I think having a good base of strength will help with almost any physical task. However I have included more kettle lifts to work on technique and perhaps drop some of the barbell lifts to help solidify preparation for RKC on February 18th next year.

I've had good success last cycle with strength and getting back into a solid routine. I don't want to make drastic changes to the program because it has worked. Ill be posting up different conditioning circuits every week that will have a different emphasis.  A lot of it will be work capacity to prep for the weekend. Some of the exercises such as renegade rows and bottoms up press are to emphasis total body tension. Skill is a strength and being able to master different gears of tension is important to all athletes. I've also incorporated more KB Rack holds because that will be very prevalent at RKC and the time under tension for upper body and overall core control is amazing.

I have Joel Jamisons HRV app on the way s oI can get a better picture of how my body is recovering from the volume and load. It will be nice to have objective data rather than trying to "feel" it out. Don't get me wrong I think we should be as in tune with our bodies as we can, however this isn't always accurate.

New Template

Here are two videos I took last week that have been uploaded. One is my final set on the last hard week of 531 on deadlifts.  The second is a kb circuit, my first time really learning renegade rows from my friend Aaron Klestinec was teaching me. The third is off Aarons youtube page, I demoed a holiday lower body circuit for him. 

Current training Satus

I've been doing a couple new things with my diet and training.

Diet: Current doing the lean gains approach for intermittent fasting, I played around with this in the summer for 5 weeks and like the results i"m getting. The difference now is I have started to train fasted on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. This is in part due to my work schedule but also to do an experiment on myself. I drink about 10 grams of leucine during the training and will have 1 scoop of EAS Muscle armor prior to training. I like the results so far. When I started the leans gain approach I was 199, four weeks ago. Now i'm sitting at an easy 190. Currently doing a slow weight cut to preserve muscle probably will drop to and maintain 185. I have also been strict with my calories and carb cycling. 2500 calories on training days with 100-150 grams of carbs. Off days will be around 2200 with under 100 grams of carbs. Keep in mind I don't count the trace carbs from most veggies, only sugars and starches. Once or twice a week Ill have a refill day where Ill go a little higher n calories and carbs. This is for both physical and psychological purposes.


Training: Now my individual training sessions don't last to long. 15-30 minutes for foam roll,correctives and movement prep than about 70 minutes from the power session to the end of the ESD session. I'm still doing heavy strength training, with the 5/3/1 approach. I think this is important for preserving muscle in a body re composition project. You need to create a demand for the body to hold on to muscle during times of limited resources (calorie deficit).

I'm getting stronger in my lifts and tomorrow will be my last day in week 3. Than next week will be a deload week which works perfect because Ill be traveling home for the holidays.

I have had a lot of message of people asking me for a copy of my template or training program. So it took some googling but I found out how to attach it to this blog in the link below. It is pretty straight forward. Power block in the beginning followed by the primary strength movement which is in the 5/3/1 format. Than the secondary and auxiliary movements afterwards. Followed by an conditioning circuit.

My Template

New videos

Ill be posting my modified 531 template tomorrow. Training is going well and I just threw some new videos up. Also my buddy Aaron Klestinec from www.kettlebuild.com joined me for a workout yesterday.






Video of me in my second week for 531 on hte last set of dead lifts for max reps. Stopped a rep or two shy of technical failure.