Workout #1 - Vike

For time:

1000 rope jumps
200 KB swings 25/35
200 press jacks 15/20 ea.
100 squats
100 situps

This will be a LONG one.  
You may NOT partition.
Post time to comments.

Workout #4 - Chest & Tris

5 supersets of: 

8 stab chest presses AHAP
12 stab chest flys AHAP
rest 2 min

Finish supersets and record weights used before moving to the triceps.

5 supersets of:

8 stab DB skull crushers AHAP
12 OH triceps ext AHAP
rest 2 min

Finish supersets and record weights used to comments. 

Workout Notes: 

  • I'm taking a bit of a chance programming KB swings again. Remember, we had a whole workout dedicated to this a couple of days ago. Some of your backs are going to object. Maybe a few necks too. 
  • If you are still feeling your back and neck from the other day, switch KB swings for DB clean curls 15/20 ea. Use a little hop to drive the movement. Some people even do more a jumping jack while doing DB clean curls. Here is a vid example of BB clean curls. The advantage of using DBs over a BB is, DBs will help you keep the weight closer to your COG. Your back/neck gets a break. 
  • If you are still feeling it, back off the weight. If you back down the weight and are STILL feeling it - nix the move. 
  • Clean Curl 101    
  • Part of what makes this workout so wonderful is the extra burn you'll get from NOT partitioning. 

"I don't get it, why are we repeating workouts? Didn't we do this exact "Chest & Tris just Tuesday?" 

Haha, GPP programming has spoiled us!

This is just your typical 6-day-split bodybuilding program. If you were still in the globo-gym world, this is likely the kind of stuff you'd be doing day in/out, week in/out, year in/out. It's classic meat-head stuff. Looks like this:

M - back & bis
Tu - chest & tris
W - legs, shoulders & abs
Th - repeat M
Fr - repeat Tu
Sa - repeat W

Almost EVERY lifter/bodybuilder you've ever known started with this. They NEVER change it. I know guys who've been doing the SAME routine for over 20 yrs. OH, they think they've mixed it up by changing a few lifts, a few rep schemes, or by adding a set here or there. But it's all the same. 

An old lifting buddy wrote to me once and goes, "DUDE I've got a TOTALLY new workout. It's wicked. I'm seeing EARTH SHATTERING changes! Everyone in the gym is just staring at me wondering - WTH???" His EARTH SHATTERING new routine? 

M - chest & bis
Tu - back & tris
W - abs, legs & shoulders
Th - repeat M
Fr - repeat Tu
Sa - repeat W

I LOLd him. So cute. 

I'll BET he was seeing earth shattering changes. Damn guy has been doing the same thing for ages. Programming eventually goes stale. You adapt to it. Once you adapt to a movement it takes more work to get the same results. The thing is, bodybuilders have to be careful, because too much change will ALSO spoil growth. Remember, their entire goal is to see how unnaturally BIG they can grow a muscle. Functionality be damned. Fitness be damned. Usefulness be damned (unless we are talking usefulness as applied to bodybuilding).  Therefore THEY DON'T MAKE frequent changes to their workouts. They do the same thing day/week/month/year in and out. They have to, or they'll never become freak beasts. 

Freak bestiality is not our goal at GPP. Ours is a more healthy & balanced pursuit with a MUCH better aesthetic! We've learned that for Optimal Health (includes functionality, fitness, aesthetics & usefulness), frequent change to our programming = constant improvement. We've also learned that some BB stuff works and we can employ certain freak bestial ways to meet our own pursuits. Even if these ways bore us to death! Like I said, we are a little spoiled. Haha! 

Such a rare sighting nowadays. Almost NOBODY posts times/weights on the whiteboard anymore. Are we getting away from this time-honored tradition? Has its usefulness run its course? Does it serve to inspire NO ONE? 

Personally, I love it. It inspires me. I'd love to see this tradition come back - a bit. I almost NEVER start a workout without storming to the whiteboard to see what times/weights others have put up. Although, I admit I don't contribute my own as often (I fight feelings of unworthiness). But, I know that shouldn't stop me. My challenge (yes, I'm challenging you too):

  1. Post times on the whiteboard more often. I gain inspiration from others who do this. It's time I pay it forward a bit. Not that I think my measly times/weights will inspire anyone. Honestly, for me it's about knowing there are others in the pit grinding it out with me.

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