ATP Project A & 5/3/1 Prowler Challenge

[N. Motta]

Very fortunate to have been given the chance to do some testing for Animal and get hooked up with what I expect will be some very beneficial supplements to help with recovery.

I'm going to need it...

Despite what I have found to be wise and prudent, and after asking myself if I had the required testicular fortitude, I've decided to spend the next 3 months completing the 531 prowler challenge. Those of you that have Jim's new Beyond 531 book will have come across this. For those that haven't, it's a challenge that places an emphasis on conditioning, with the most effective/brutal implement produced to date, the prowler. I will cover my 531 strength training on a 3 days per week split and push the prowler 3 days as well. Weight used, distance covered and rest periods will all fluctuate, in an effort to get me to my goal in week 12: perform 10, 40 yard sprints with 180 added pounds. Oh yea, rest time between sets is all of 60 seconds.

I've pushed my prowler to a great extent in summers past. This will likely be a whole other mother fucker. I'm doing this for a couple of reasons. One, is that I boughth into Wendlers philosophy of taking on an intimidating challenge and REALLY seeing what you're made of. Another is that it jives well with what may be asked of me physically, as a firefighter. I take pride in holding the record for my departments annual firefighter combat challenge, but I'm not content. I want to continue improving in the arenas of strength AND conditioning and as I turn 30 in September, get myself into the best shape of my life.

[weightsb4dates]

Good luck, in on this

[SquatPressPull]

I agree, good luck. Far more balls than what I have.

Will be reading up on your progress and notes about Project A.

[J-Dawg]

In for this and watching along to see how you do with the Prowler challenge. I just did some today and it kicked my butt, lol.

[N. Motta]

Thanks for stopping in fellas and for the wishes of luck, I'm gonna need it.

Initial impressions, after two days of use. Yesterday was a prowler day and today I pulled and pressed, both 531 and then some accessory work.

Recovery & Fatigue Reduction: So far, great. I KNOW it contributed yesterday during the prowler pushes. I was fuckin dying, thought my glutes were going to cramp up. Thankfully they didn't, but I thought at least I would've been real sore today. Nadda. Zero ill effects going into deads today. 10.

Performance: Kind of tough area for me to gauge. All I know is it sure didn't hurt any. 7.

Flavor: Love em. I used 12 oz each time to establish a baseline. I guess based on smell, I initially thought I would like flavor 1 better. Turns out flavor 2 seems a little more refreshing. Tastes like Tang to me. Today post workout I tried a scoop of flavor 2 with 20 oz of ice water. Very refreshing and light tasting. Flavor 1: 7. Flavor 2: 8.

Color: No complaints. For some reason, I imagine more people would be drawn to the purple color. Tend to think guys are interested in "extreme" looking/colored powders. Lol. As long as it's not doo doo brown, I don't care what color it is. 10

Mixability: Awesome. 10

[Chivalry]

The first thought whenever I took a drink of Flavor 2 was Tang, which is awesome in my book. I used less water though.

[N. Motta]

Tang flavor has been proven to be a winner. "It's what the astronauts drink."

It's science.

[N. Motta]

Bout the same as above to report from today, but with one exception...

I have a strong feeling that timing the intake of my first serving today, about 45 minutes prior to pushing the prowler, helped TREMENDOUSLY. Maybe it's all in my head, but today felt SOOO much easier than it did two days ago. Lower body muscles didn't even feel very taxed today while pushing. AND today I chose to try and limit my rest periods to no more than 60 seconds; no problem whatsoever. Possibly worth noting as well, that I deadlifted yesterday and where I would normally be having some DOMS today, thus limiting my power with the prowler today, NADDA.

I sure do like a tall glass of flavor 2 in some cold water afterwards.

[N. Motta]

Diggin this stuff. A LOT.

Yesterday I hit some skwaats. While don't due any extra lower body work, due to getting my legs thoroughly taxed from the prowler, I still had a bit of typical DOMS today. Used Project A before and after the session yesterday and while getting through the conditioning today, I felt relatively fresh and good to go. Legs had plenty of spring in them.

Only new input I could add at this point, is that I think Flavor 1 could stand to get a bit more tastiness to it. Mind you, I'm not the type of customer that really cares if something is chalky and bland tasting, as long as it works I don't care. Sure, when something tastes exceptional, it's an added bonus. I just think that other potential customers would be stoked if Flavor 1 had a little more 'pop' to it.

[naturalguy]

I hate the prowler grrrrrrrrr

[N. Motta]

Haha. I have a love/hate relationship with it for sure. I really don't think there is a better conditioning tool out there.

It has incredible carryover to the fire ground. And it makes you awesome.

[N. Motta]

I don't know if I'm acclimating to the prowler workouts, or if the Project A is working that well, but I just got done with another session in some decent heat, ~95*. I sent with a serving intra and a serving post, and I feel completely fresh right now. Got done about an hour ago.

Awesome. Also, hopefully ya'll won't mind that I deviated off course a bit but, for the intra workout drink I filled my shaker with ice water and combined a scoop of flavor 2 and two tablespoons of my lemon lime flavored Gatorade powder. I like extra sugar and salt when I'm out in the heat like that. Dry heat I know, nothin like that hell you guys down south and back east have. It tasted, bang-a-rang.

[J-Dawg]

I don't know if I'm acclimating to the prowler workouts, or if the Project A is working that well, but I just got done with another session in some decent heat, ~95*. I sent with a serving intra and a serving post, and I feel completely fresh right now. Got done about an hour ago.

Awesome. Also, hopefully ya'll won't mind that I deviated off course a bit but, for the intra workout drink I filled my shaker with ice water and combined a scoop of flavor 2 and two tablespoons of my lemon lime flavored Gatorade powder. I like extra sugar and salt when I'm out in the heat like that. Dry heat I know, nothin like that hell you guys down south and back east have. It tasted, bang-a-rang.

I may have to add this in for my prowler work too. Anything to help with recovery from that thing. I get tired just from setting the darn thing up, lol.

[Jay]

I don't know if I'm acclimating to the prowler workouts, or if the Project A is working that well, but I just got done with another session in some decent heat, ~95*. I sent with a serving intra and a serving post, and I feel completely fresh right now. Got done about an hour ago.

Awesome. Also, hopefully ya'll won't mind that I deviated off course a bit but, for the intra workout drink I filled my shaker with ice water and combined a scoop of flavor 2 and two tablespoons of my lemon lime flavored Gatorade powder. I like extra sugar and salt when I'm out in the heat like that. Dry heat I know, nothin like that hell you guys down south and back east have. It tasted, bang-a-rang.

Sounds like a good combo

[N. Motta]

Apologies for not logging any new posts lately. Unfortunately, I had to have my appendix removed early Tuesday morning and while I was under I had the surgeon repair an umbilical hernia I've had for awhile. Which means no training for me for about 6 weeks.

Pretty bummed as I was really settling into the prowler challenge and was looking forward to grinding through and moving closer to the end. I've got to echo my feelings about Project A in one of my first posts about it. Everything is on point. During a period of some legitimately hard conditioning and strength training, I couldn't have asked to have any better recovery. Without a doubt, Project A played a big role in that. If I had to find anything to try and improve, I guess it would maybe be the taste of Flavor 1. Maybe the ingredients could be tweaked a bit to improve taste a bit, but like I said before, I'm not to concerned with a product tasting like children's candy. I found that I enjoyed both flavors mixed with more water, I guess to create a lighter taste and to have more volume to sip on during training. This is deff a product I would recommend to friends.

Big thanks again to J-Dawg for letting me play. Always fun to take part and try to help out with some Alpha testing and until I got sidelined, I know this stuff was lending a big hand in recovering from my training. Thanks.

[naturalguy]

Damn man, heal up fast