DMGMass Made Simple
Even before the last race of the Over the Hump season, I could feel that I needed a break. I was looking forward to being able to just ride wherever I wanted, if I wanted. And finishing 5th in that last race, and 7th overall, really made me feel like I'd done what I set out to do.
So what now? Well, it's a good time to take a big-picture look at my health & fitness, and to play the game so that I arrive in May 2020 stronger, fitter, faster and more injury-proof than I am now.
I talked with a nutritionist, who said that I generally eat pretty well, and suggested a few improvements to try. I'm trying them.
I've taken a rest week, and I'm now starting to do some light barbell work to acclimate my body to that kind of work again. (Mostly a modified version of Cosgrove's Evil 8, without the power cleans or good mornings.)
I've started Dan John's Mass Made Simple program. It's classic "bus bench" stuff: show up, do the workout, enjoy the results. The core of the workout is a barbell complex (row, clean, front squat, press, back squat, good morning) similar to Cosgrove's Evil 8, and a heavy helping of squats.
The first workout went really well, and today I'm definitely sore, but not hurting. (I went slightly easy on the complex to make sure I had the gas for the squats.) I'll up the weight a bit on the complex next time.
And honestly, I think just a 40-minute complex/squats/pull-up workout will be an excellent way to maintain my strength gains once I get back on the bike & start base building again in a couple of months.