Success. Next goal, please

Thank you, Father, for the gift of perseverance, and the wisdom of humility. I put my ego aside through these last 9 weeks or so to cut weight and just  stuck to the plan. Every time a deceptive thought entered my head, I tried to pray it away and just stick to the plan.

You're stronger than this.  Why waste time with these light weights?

You can drop weight faster than this. Just enjoy a pizza night with the kids.

You're better than your competition.  Why push so hard?

Ego is a motherfucker.  It is the seed of complacency and mediocrity. Humility, ironically enough, is the driver of confidence, patience, and maturity.  I kept my weights according to plan, didn't accumulate any new injuries, dropped 4 inches off my waist, and feel faster and more athletic than I have in a decade.

I placed Second in my first outing as a Lightweight at the San Antonio Highland Games.  The guy who came in first was untouchable!!!!  What a great thrower, and model of humility.  BJ Ketchum is one cool dude.  I'll keep practicing my throws, and improving technique, but I also need to get  as strong and fast as possible as a lightweight.

One Goal To Rule Them All

• Rippped-to-shreds 215 pounds
• Now how do I plan to achieve that goal?  I  have a training plan, but more importantly, I have a motivation plan.  I'm ONLY motivated by competition.  I ONLY cut weight to make a weight class. For whatever reason, I  won't do it just to look like a prettyboy.  I need COMPETITION and PERFORMANCE to sacrifice and become more.  

The motivation plan:

• Enter lightweight division Highland Games in September, October, November
• Enter 198# weight class Powerlifting event August

The Training Plan:

Until it's time to cut, I'm going to try a very simple experiment, that I've been chomping at the bit to implement:

5-3-1 Meets EDT

5-3-1 really is the simplest and most effective long-term strategy for gaining raw strength.  The volumes are just exactly right for me and my recovery abilities.   Starting light lets my joints adapt at the  same rate as my muscles.  The  great thing about 5-3-1 is that you have pretty much limitless choices of how to handle accessory work.  I'm going to use EDT until July.

EDT is just a freaking beast. 15 minutes of antagonistic movements (dips and curls) driving as many reps as possible.  Who cares about sets or rest periods.  Just force your targeted muscles to do more work in a set time.  

• Monday:
1. Vertical push / pull
   a. Clean & Press: 5-3-1 + 1 rest pause set @ 65%
   b. Pullup: 5-3-1 + 1 rest pause set
2. 15 minute EDT Accessory work
   a. Dips
   b. EZ-bar curls
3. Ab work
• Tuesday:
1. Warm-up with pistols (fix left leg weakness)
2. Unilateral plyos.  Just whatever (fix left leg weakness)
3. Front squat: 5-3-1 + 1 high rep set @ 65%
4. 5 minute EDT-like set
   Squat: I can't squat for 15 minutes, nor could I recover from it in a week.  I'm going to just stick  with squats and drive the reps up in a 5 minute limit.  I won't increase weight till I hit 50 consecutive reps
• Thursday:
1. Horizontal push pull:
   a. bench press: 5-3-1 + 1 rest pause set @ 65%
   b. bent row: 10-8-6 + 1 rest pause set @ 65%
2. 15 minute EDT Accessory work
   a. Dips
   b. EZ-bar curls
3. Ab work
• Friday:
1. Warm-up with pistols (fix left leg weakness)
2. Unilateral plyos.  Just whatever (fix left leg weakness)
3. Deadlift: 5-3-1 + 1 high rep set @ 65%
4. 5 minute EDT-like set
   Squat