6:00 PM
Vodka & Pickles Workout #13
Cycle C Workout 3
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
5 Halos L&R – 16kg
Repeated 3x
Workout A
Deadlifts – see below
Bench – 155 x 5, 3, 2 (:45 rest)
Swings – 2Hand – 10 x 10 – 32kg (:15 on / :50 rest)
Pullups – one after each round of swings for total of 10
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout C3- 290 x 1/12 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
Noon
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #12
Cycle C Workout 2
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
5 Halos L&R – 16 kg
Repeated 3x
Workout B
Deadlifts – see below
One-Arm Kettlebell Press – 8 x 3 – 20 kg
Double Kettlebell Front Squat – 5 x 5 – 24 kg
Chins – sets of 3 superset with DKFS
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout C2: 275 x 1/15 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
44:00 Total Workout time
6:00 PM
Vodka & Pickles Workout #11
Cycle C Workout 1
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
5 Halos L&R – 16kg
Repeated 3x
Workout A
Deadlifts – see below
Bench – 195 x 5, 3, 2
Swings – 2Hand – 10 x 10 – 32kg (:15 on / :50 rest)
Pullups – one after each round of swings for total of 10
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout C1 – 255 x 1/15 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
48:00 total time
Today has been a crazy day, not that it was any different than any other day. Finding time to get everything done in what little time I have outside of work is usually a challenge.
Yes, my wife and I don’t have kids so that makes our lives a bit easier than most 40-somethings, but living in the semi-suburban purgatory of northwest Chicago means a one-hour-plus commute, each way.
Up at 5:45 to do some writing and then get my lunch ready followed by getting myself ready and dressed and out the door by 7:15 to catch the bus and be surrounded by hoodie rats with their giant backpacks taking up all the aisle space when you try to get off the bus to catch the L.
6:15 PM
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #10
Cycle B Workout 5
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
Repeated 3x
Workout A
Deadlifts – see below
One-Arm Kettlebell Press – 8 x 3 – 20 kg
Double Kettlebell Front Squat – 5 x 5 – 24 kg
Chins – superset 3 reps with each set of DKFS for total of 15
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout B5: 315# x 1/6 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
43:48 total time
This workout was draining as it’s the last session of the second round of Vodka and Pickles so a tough set of deadlifts. Add to the fact that I fasted from Sunday night to around Noon today (about 40 hours a la John Romaniello’s Feast/Fast) after a fun weekend of pizza and ice cream. I probably didn’t have enough fuel in my body even with two protein shakes this afternoon. Working out fasted isn’t normally a problem for me but the last few getups at the end weren’t as crisp as usual.
4:15 PM
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #9
Cycle B Workout 4
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
Repeated 3x
Workout B
Deadlifts – see below
Bench – 185 x 5, 3, 2
Swings – 2Hand – 10 x 10 – 32kg (:15 on / 1:00 rest)
Pullups – one after each set of swings for a total of 10
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout B4: 300 x 1/8 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
Wake me up when September endsFall is a weird limbo time of the year for workout programs. The beauty of summer is a fading memory – the beaches, the barbecues, the suntans. The ugliness of winter is within sight – the slush, the colds, the parkas.
I’ve always had a hard time finding the motivation to workout once September hits and fades into Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are no tropical vacations to get in shape for and the gluttonous memory of the holidays hasn’t been created yet. Waking up to walk on the treadmill is the last thing I want to do.
5:15 PM
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #8
Cycle B Workout 3
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
Repeated 3x
Workout A
Deadlifts – see below
One-Arm Kettlebell Press – 8 x 3 – 20 kg
Double Kettlebell Front Squat – 5 x 5 – 24 kg
Chins – superset 3 reps with each set of DKFS for total of 15
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout B3: 280# x 1/12 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
45:00 total time
Friday workouts are tough after a long week of work. Talked myself into just going down and doing the basics and possibly skipping the TGUs at the end. Of course, by the time I got around to them I felt pretty good so just went ahead and did them.
Dan John’s signature in my copy of “Intervention.”
I’m a sucker for plug-and-play strength programs where I just show up in my own home gym and do the workout as written on the page. Dan John has a great program that Pavel Tsatsouline gave him years ago called “The 40-Day Workout.” It’s basically the same five movements done for 40 consecutive workouts, varying the load and intensity from workout to workout.
Dan’s site has a complete explanation if you want more of the nuts and bolts. Earlier this year, an enterprising follower of Dan’s named Eric Tiarks made a research project out of it. Eric took a scientific approach to the load and intensity, taking much of the variability and guesswork out of it, making it even more plug-and-play than the original version. My kind of thinking.
4:30 PM
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #7
Cycle B Workout 2
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
Repeated 3x
Workout B
Deadlifts – see below
Bench – 175 x 5, 3, 2
Swings – 2Hand – 10 x 10 – 32kg (:15 on / 1:00 rest)
Pullups – one after each set of swings for a total of 10
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout B2: 265 x 1/15 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets