u/MythicalStrength

PROGRAM CHECK IN: TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO FOR STRONGMAN PHASE II

INTRO

• In my last adventure found here, I explained how I set up Operator Pro to help prep for an upcoming strongman competition. I’m now in the final week of the program, and wanted to share my experience and lessons learned through the process. And, of course, if you want to view the entire training phase, I’ve uploaded every video here

RESULTS UP FRONT

• In the 11 weeks total I’ve followed this approach (I’m currently in my 12th week), I lost a total of 5.2kg (just about 11.5lbs). During the first 6 weeks of the program, I improved on all of my key lifts. During the final 6 weeks, I maintained on the front squat and log press while noting improvements in the deadlift (hitting 9x425+chains at the end of the cycle) and loading lifts while bodyweight continued to drop, which is another form of progression. My conditioning metrics followed a similar trajectory, with improvements on my FOBBIT/prowler performance in the first 6 weeks and maintenance in the final. I’ve reached a level of leanness that puts me in a very comfortable spot to start gaining in the summer, while also achieving performance goals.

THE STRUCTURE

• As I wrote in my previous check in, I was able to use the guidelines of Operator Pro to turn it into a multiphased training strategy for competition prep. Pro allows for “hypertrophy” ranges for the secondary exercises (10s, 8s and 6s) along with “strength” ranges (5s). For the first phase, I employed the hypertrophy ranges, and for the second phase I used the strength ranges. By doing so, as I transitioned into Pro out of Specificity, I was able to use lighter weights on new exercises as I redeveloped the motor skills for the exercises, AND I was able to continue to work to preserve lean tissue in a phase where food was restricted. In the second phase, prioritization of lean tissue was reduced as the focus was shifted more toward performance, and the low reps allowed me to groove more “perfect” practice on the lifts I’d execute in competition while also meaning that I’d be accumulating less fatigue due to reduced volume. Emphasis was on explosive/strong reps and to limit grinding. This also meant a greater emphasis could be placed on performance in general as part of my conditioning work, as I would not be splitting recovery demands on hypertrophy lifts.

• Aside from the change in reps for the secondary exercises, I made no change from the previous set-up, aside from the loading exercise (to be discussed shortly). This meant a cluster of SSB front squats, log clean and either ROM progression deadlifts or loading implements to a platform. Per Op/Pro, I’d have one day where I set a 2-3rm for the front squats and one for the log clean, and then I’d pull deadlifts on the middle day using my own ROM progression protocol. I keep the sets the same, with the deadlift day using 3 sets for the secondary exercises and otherwise using 5 sets. I also continued to implement my daily dips and chins, ending the final week with 3 sets of 18 and 1 set of 17 spread across the day. I DO feel these daily bodyweight exercises went a long way in preserving upper body mass, as typically getting this light tends to have my arms and shoulders looking small, but that was not the case this time.

• For the loading exercise, I had to execute an audible that ended up being a blessing in disguise. In phase I, I was relying purely on the Stone of Steel as my loading implement, increasing the weight each week. Eventually, conditions became so sweltering in my garage that, even with a grip shirt and receiver gloves, the stone was too slippery to safely load. I’ve already torn one bicep: I don’t need a matching set. So I switched to the Power Keg, which is much easier to wrangle, which is a blessing and a curse when I’m trying to train to lift natural stones, as it meant I was able to develop the basic strength for loading stuff but not the “chaos strength” that comes with trying to load awkward objects that don’t want to move.

• This led me to use MULTIPLE implements during the loading exercise. I couldn’t load the stone for 5 full sets, but I could get 1-2 out of it before it got too slippery, so I would swap between the stone and the keg between sets. I also recognized the value of the keg for developing strength and the stone for technique, so I left the stone unloaded and loaded up the keg heavy and used a “1 minute on/2 minutes off” approach to make it a goal to get in as many reps as possible with each implement. This tended to break down to 7 reps with the Stone and 3 reps with the keg. To finish it all off, after a total of 4 sets (stone-keg-stone-keg), I’d break out my Ironmind sandbag at a fixed weight of 200lbs and load it for max reps in a minute, for a total of 5 sets of loading.

• I love this discovery, and want to use it moving forward. I noticed that 5 full sets of loading the same implement was beating the hell out of me, whereas switching it up within the workout has a similar effect to the conjugate approach of switching up the ME lift each week: I was still pushing my body hard, but specific parts of it weren’t getting mashed over and over again. I can employ a wide variety of resistances with the loadable nature of the implements I have, but also swap in fixed weight stuff as needed in order to expand variety. This definitely has some wings, and it’s why I’m always tinkering away.

X-FACTORS

• As noted: I was leaning out during this process. This was driven by multiple factors, one being that the competition I was training for was a charity event without weight classes being done strictly for fun, so I had no compelling need to get heavier. Along with that, it’s summer, which is a time when I engage in more general activity, so getting leaner is pretty natural for me. Along with THAT, the fall tends to be the kick off for my gaining season, with a late October birthday leading into Thanksgiving leading into Christmas. It’s a great time for feasting, which is a great time for gaining, and per Dan John, Jon Heck, John McCallum and many other authors: getting lean is a great step to take before getting big. All that said, had I been eating to GAIN during this training block, I know I’d see even more progress.

• Which, on that note, I’ve picked up a few non-training related injuries during this training block which impacted performance on a few days. I’ve noted in my experience that I tend to get more injured as I get leaner, which is most likely a result of inadequate nutrition to support healing/recovery and a reduction of necessary “fluff” around my connective tissues to provide support. The two most significant ones are an instance where I legit got out of bed too quickly and wrenched something in my back so badly that I thought I needed to get to the hospital, which ended up taking a week to resolve due to recurrence of nerve pain. The second one was an injury to my left knee from trying to run down the stairs to let one of my dogs out before it had “disaster poops” on the floor…while the OTHER dog decided to use that opportunity to nip at my toes. For 2 weeks after that, my knee would click/pop and slide out of place, but it seems to have some stability now. I’m currently still recovering from that, with my knee in a brace, but able to still squat and do lifting stuff. But, again: this is getting in the way of being able to effectively execute.

THE NUTRITION

• I did an extensive write-up of my “Roulette Diet” approach that I’ve employed, but ultimately this was a combination of intermittent fasting with a carnivore diet that included a weekly meal with carbohydrates. Fasting was the lever implementing to control fat loss. If I wanted to lose more fat, I’d implement more/longer fasting days. If I needed to prioritize recovery, I’d increase my eating window.

CONCLUSION/WHAT’S NEXT

• Operator Pro provides the most streamlined manner to adapt Tactical Barbell to strongman training/preparation. I didn’t have to violate the protocol or cheat to make it work, and the phasic structure is incredible simple to map out. This is the strongest I’ve been at this level of leanness in quite some time: typically weighing this little comes with a degree of stringiness that I’m not a fan of.

• I compete at the end of Aug and have a cruise that starts the next week and continues into Mid-Sep. Upon my return, it may be time to do some TBIII Basebuilding, or perhaps a work capacity block (that looks fun), or just get a head start on mass building and really ride that through the fall. As always: chaos is the plan.

$10 off at the register meant this was $5.35 per pound: an absolute steal, especially for Grassfed.

Salt and pepper before putting it in the sous vide at 134 for 5 hours. Took it out, painted it with some melted ghee and put it in the air fryer at 450 for 5 minutes to give it some color and finish. Let rest for a few minutes, slice against the grain, and try to not eat all 5+ pounds of it in one sitting.

I WANTED to treat it like a brisket, because of the beautiful fat cap on top, but it's really like a picanha roast.

I was blessed to marry a beautiful woman who was born and raised on Maui and introduced me to her culture, to include the "Loco Moco". For those that are unversed in this creation, the Loco Moco is traditionally a hamburger steak topped with a sunny side up egg and beef gravy, served a top a bed of rice and grilled onions.

This is 3 Costco grassfed beef burger patties topped with a sunny side up egg, covered with beef stock (started off in a wonderful jellied state which I heated up to turn liquid) atop a mound of egg whites for rice.

I had this in celebration of 808 day yesterday. IYKYK.

We were going out to celebrate, the kiddo picked the roadhouse, and I really enjoyed my one meal today.

Greetings Gainers,

INTRO

• As someone born in the mid 80s, the 90s were instrumental to my upbringing, which meant being exposed to such Disney Classics as "Beauty and the Beast", featuring the greatest physical specimen in all of Disney's history: Gaston.
• Gaston is there to represented "external beauty/internal ugliness", and he does a fantastic job of doing exactly that by being ridiculously jacked.
• In the movie, he informs us (through song) that when he was a lad he ate 4 dozen eggs, every morning, to help him get large. Now that he's grown he eats 5 dozen eggs, so he's roughly the size of the barge.

WHAT WAS HE TELLING US?

• He mentions no other meals. To grow quite large, he'd eat one meal a day, in the morning. He was engaging in intermittent fasting.
• His meal was only eggs: primarily fat and protein (almost a 1:1 ratio by gram, with a 66/33 breakdown by calorie), making it most likely ketogenic.
• By combining the two, he created a very small insulin spike with his 1 daily meal, as there were minimal carbohydrates present, which meant minimal blood sugar spike/crash, which is most likely the reason he only needed 1 meal a day: he stayed quite satiated (although he appeared to enjoy his beer).
• The 4 dozen eggs was the bulking diet, while 5 dozen is the maintenance diet: eat 4 dozen eggs until you're so large you need 5 dozen to maintain.

WHAT DOES THE BULKING DIET LOOK LIKE?

• Taking average nutrition for eggs, we're looking at each egg being 70 calories: 5g of fat (about 1.5g of saturated, .7g poly and 2g mono), 6g of protein and .5g of carbs.
• Each egg also has a TON of nutrients (reference the attached photo)
• For the bulking diet, this means 3360 calories, 240g of fat, 288g of protein (so yes: you're getting enough protein) and 24g of carbs. That's going to be MORE than enough fuel for most gainers.

BUT AT WHAT COST?

• Well, if you're in the United States and have access to a Walmart, you can often get 5 dozen eggs for $7.13 (screenshot attached).
• Rounding that up to $7.20, this will put you at just about $5.75 per day. Less than $180 a month to bulk like Gaston (caution: no one bulks like Gaston).
• For those of outside of the US, I apologize: I do not know your egg prices.

HOW AM I GOING TO COOK ALL THESE EGGS?

• Here is 100 ways to cook eggs. You're sure to find something you like.

CONCLUSION

• Remember that scene in the movie when Gaston drank all that olive oil to get jacked? Me neither. Success leaves clues, and for less than the cost of a McDonald's value meal you can eat like the REAL main character of Beauty and the Beast.

I love how, with the sous vide, I can whip this up in minutes on a weeknight. Ribs were in the sous vide at 150 for a little over 24 hours, then took them out, brushed them with some tallow I rendered from the last time I smoked ribs (giving them a smoky flavor) and in the air fryer at 450 for 4 minutes. Cooked the eggs in the same tallow, so it was an indoor BBQ.

1 meal today, end of day, after an outstanding training session at 0400.

INTRO

• As I’m approaching my second full year of running Tactical Barbell programming without interruption and, while more and more material is being released about the system, I am playing around more and more and finding ways to make the system fit my goals and needs. The original Operator in TB1 has proven itself plenty effective for strongman competition prep in the past, but I had to take certain liberties with it to make it “work”, while a recent experiment with Operator Pro out of the Green Protocol is proving to obviate that need. I’m currently 5 weeks deep into a 12 week approach (13 if we count the bridge week) and wanted to share what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and what I plan to do in the future, to show how to make this protocol fit strongman. And, of course, if you’re the visual type, I’ve recorded every lifting workout so far and uploaded it to a playlist, with intent to continue doing so up until my competition date.

THE DEMANDS

• I am currently training for a strongman competition that is fairly unique, which is what compelled me to compete in the first place. It’s unsanctioned, so no real pressure to perform, but it’s combining elements of strongman, highland games and Viking stonelifting but featuring a log clean and press for max weight, elevated axle deadlift for reps, harnessed tractor pull, caber toss, and “Dritvik Viking Stones to platform”.

THE PROGRAM (OVERVIEW)

• To meet these demands, I selected “Operator Pro” from Tactical Barbell Green Protocol. It features 3 days per week of lifting weights, with the remaining training days available for conditioning (or, in my case, events). One selects a cluster of lifts, and trains each lift in that cluster each training day. What is particularly unique about Operator Pro is that ONE lift of the cluster is trained for a 2-3 rep maximum for that training day, while the other lifts are trained at lower percentages for reps. So, if one had a cluster of Squat, bench and deadlift, Squat would be trained for a 2-3rm while bench and dead would be for 3-5 sets of reps on Monday, then wed would be Bench 2-3rm with squat and deadlift for reps, etc.

• What is of particular note here is the rep work though. The percentages are low, ranging from 65%-75% and originally prescribed for 5x5. HOWEVER, there was an option included “for hypertrophy”, which used a system of sets of 10 on week 1, 8s on week 2, and 6s on week 3. Seeing that gave me a real lightbulb moment, which I will explain later.

HOW I LAID IT OUT

• The two primary lifts of the cluster are the safety squat bar squat and the log clean and press away. On the rep days, it’s a strict press, on the 2-3rm day, it’s a push press. The other lifts in the cluster are the Stone of Steel loaded to a platform on lifting days 1 and 3 and the Texas Deadlift Bar ROM progression mat pull on day 2. I also have axle curls programmed for my deadlift day.

• On Day 1, the front squat is my 2-3rm lift, while log and stones are trained for 5 sets. On day 2, the deadlift is my primary lift (following ROM progression protocol, which is different from what TB lays out), while squats and log are trained for 3 sets. On day 3, the log is my 2-3rm lift, while squats and stones are trained for 5 sets (squats for higher reps than stones).

• Which, speaking of reps, THIS is where Operator Pro shines: for the first 6 weeks of the training cycle, I used the hypertrophy reps for the secondary exercises (so sets of 10 for week 1, 8s for week 2, 6s for week 3). My intent for the final 6 weeks is to go to the standard Op Pro approach and just do sets of 5. The exceptions to this approach are for the deadlift (trained using ROM progression protocol) and the stones, which I do for the hypertrophy sets on workout 1 while doing for 5x5 on workout 3. I find trying to do high reps of stones twice a week tears up my SI joint. In turn, for workout 3, I use the weights that I will use for the next week’s hypertrophy workout, in order to get my body accustomed to it ahead of time.

• Between lifting days 1 and 2, I do Fobbits on a rower, performing a martial arts kata (technically a hyung) between rounds, and between lifting days 2 and 3 I do prowler sprints (4-5 sets, long rests). On the weekends, I walk.

• Daily, I perform 4 sets of chins and dips, increasing the rep total by 1 per week (not 1 per set: 1 rep total). I also train martial arts 3x per week, typically on Tues, Weds and Thurs, but this is traditional martial arts rather than combat sports, so not incredibly intense.

WHY I LAID IT OUT THE WAY I DID

• The most significant “strongman prep” element of this is the phasic structure of the programming. I get to spend the first 6 weeks of the program using lighter weights for the rep work and rebuilding technique and the specific muscles necessary to get better at events. At the same time, I still get a weekly opportunity to regularly practice moving heavy weights as well. Every 3 weeks, I can adjust the training maxes to make them heavier, which means that, as I move into the final 6 weeks of the program, my weights will have increased but I’ll then be using lower reps, focusing on grooving perfect technique without experiencing significant fatigue.

• Which, on the topic of fatigue: it’s why I use the SSB front squat. It’s not because front squats are more “strongman transferable”: it’s because they don’t fatigue the lower back as much as a back loaded squat will. Given I’m doing log pressing and stone loading/deadlifts whenever I lift, my lower back is already getting plenty hammered. The front squat allows me to still train A squat without compounding fatigue, and I use the SSB because my ability to maintain a rack position is pretty poor.

• The stone/deadlift pairing is pretty simple to explain away. Stone loading and deadlifting recruit a LOT of the same muscles, to the point that I was at a Kaz seminar where he postulated that modern strongman use wider stance deadlifts for conventional because they spend so much time loading stones, so they’re stronger with their feet further apart. In turn, even for NON-strongman competitors, I think there’s a LOT of value in employing some sort of implement load in place of a deadlift in programming. There is no eccentric whatsoever to deal with, so it won’t beat up the trainee quite as much, which I feel is what allows me to train 3x a week compared to deadlifting, which I would keep at just 1x a week as well. Difficulties exist in adjusting the loads if you don’t have a loadable implement, but the Stone of Steel and Power Keg CAN bypass that. One could also do an old fashioned stone trainer by using a loading pin and some bumper plates to achieve a similar effect.

• On THAT topic: the deadlift is the reason I use 3 sets of the secondary work on the second lifting day. The deadlift just takes SO MUCH out of me that trying to stack more work on top aside from the bare minimum is a poor strategy. But this has a pretty neat downstream effect. My weekly structure shakes out that, for the press, I start the week with 5 sets, then cut down to 3, then finish with a 2-3rm single set: like a mini-taper. For the front squats, I end up setting a 2-3rm, then progress to 3 sets, then up to 5: like a small accumulation block. The stones end up being for 5 sets on high reps on the day where I’m only front squatting for a single set, which is allowing me to make up some volume on the back end, whereas the day I’m doing the highest volume of front squats, the stone volume is kept moderate by keeping the reps at 5. Each training day is unique and gives me something to look forward to, and it all builds upon itself.

• I’m strict pressing the log on the rep work, because it’s helping me build up the muscle I need to be strong and stable in the log, whereas I’m push pressing the heavy work so that I re-learn the skill of moving heavy weight with the implement.

• I use the ROM progression deadlift because it works. I’ve tried messing with success and it goes poorly. I also train the deadlift LAST on the deadlift focused day, rather than first, because once I’m done with that lift I’m pretty much exhausted. The only thing left in me is curls and small assistance work.

• I’m doing nothing to train for the caber toss. I’ve never done one before, and it’s just a bucketlist item for me. I’m going to show up to the competition and have fun.

• The prowler sprints are there to improve my ability on the tractor pull. I SHOULD be doing these with a harness and a rope, but since I train so stupidly early in the dark, I don’t want to deal with trying to hitch up to my truck. I’m noticing significant improvement in my conditioning and ability just doing high handle prowler sprints on a LONG track with 5 minutes of rest between sets.

• The Fobbits on the rower are effectively recovery work, but also continue to contribute to my conditioning and cardiovascular capabilities. I’m sticking with the martial arts because I have a tournament coming up in July, am getting close to black belt testing, and we run a summerlong “hyung competition” that I am part of, so it all works out.

• Even though I used programmed percentages for axle curls, I consider them assistance work rather than primary or secondary. I just use the percentages for force me to actually train hard on them, as otherwise I’ll blow them off. Those get trained once a week, after deadlifts, for 3 sets. I otherwise prioritize ab work for assistance, followed by rear delts, and then lateral delts. If I STILL have more time after training all that, I’m just going to go for a walk. Most days, the only assistance I do after the heavy lifting is 2-3 sets of ab work.

THE NUTRITION

• I’m still going strong with “Red Meat and Black Coffee”. The most significant change is, I’m prioritizing getting leaner, as its summer, activity is higher and my fall gaining block will be here soon enough. To accomplish this goal, rather than eating less at meals, I’m eating fewer meals, having increased my One-Meal-A-Day days from 2 to 3-4 per week. As of week 5, I’m not experiencing any negatives with this approach as far as energy levels and performance go, and observing downward trends on the scale and reduced waist circumference as measured by how my clothes and weight belt fit. Once again: this “works” because the one meal I eat is very high in protein. A small, mixed diet meal may not prove as successful.

IN SUMMARY

• Operator Pro removed the need for me to modify Operator to “make it work” for strongman and, instead, provides all the tools necessary to make (what appears to be) an effective strongman training protocol. I’m observing increases in my front squat, press, deadlift and stone training even while bodyweight is slowly dropping and conditioning is improving (log went from 3x200 to 3x210 and 2x215, front squat from 2x315 to 2x320, deadlift ROM progression proceeding as normal and went from one set of 10 and then 4 sets of 5 with 135 on the stones to a full 5x10x135, while also reducing my prowler times from 54 seconds to 38 seconds). Transitioning from hypertrophy reps to strength reps builds in a phasic structure of training, while the “primary/secondary” structure paired with waving the sets per workout creates it’s own “Daily Undulating Periodization” structure within the workout itself. And the intensity and volume is balanced enough to provide me all the training opportunities I need to continue to progress toward my goals without overextending.

The only unfortunate part is that one of the farm fresh eggs I used had such a massive yoke that the sheer weight of it hitting the bowl caused it to split before I set to frying it.

3.25lb Tomahawak ribeye, on sale from Father's Day. Sous vide at 133 for 4 hours, then seared in tallow for a crust on medium high heat in cast iron. It was glorious.

Sous vide bath at 150 for 24 hours, then 2 hours on the smoker at 220 just to give it a kiss. I saved the drippings from the sous vide bag and used that when I wrapped the rib to rest for 30 minutes...then resaved it in a mason jar to use when I cook eggs.

These are such a treat. And, of course, completely untrimmed, because people who trim ribs/brisket don't actually like meat.

This and 3 eggs made a wonderful post workout meal.

With smash patties, this is what "carnivore pancakes" are all about. Topped with butter and salt with little crispy edges. A total treat.

As beef prices continue to rise, finding ways to turn cheap cuts into magic has become a fun experiment, and I wanted to share this one with you.

Got 3lbs of beef cheek from Sam's club. Left it UNTRIMMED, because I actually enjoy the taste of animals, and seasoned with only salt and pepper.

Put it in the sous vide bath (double bagged) for 60 hours at 155 degrees.

Took it out, pat it dry, them straight into the smoker (I have a Ninja Woodfire, so it's like a compression smoker) for 1hr 45min at 225.

Wrapped it in foil with the contents from the sous vide bag to do a pseudo-confit and let rest for an hour.

Sliced it like a brisket and served it alongside eggs (fried in the fat rendered during the smoke) and a little bit of steak from my kid's plate. Really wanted to eat the full 3lbs: it's THAT good.