AK's Journal

Good strong lifts there mate!

Bench is good! Deads very good! I also noticed that after your cut you were a fairly low weight and that rebounded very rapidly, does this reflect in the way you look? (nearly said mirror-durr)

Why fascia training at the end? And forgive my lack of knowledge, but what constitutes fascia exercises?

good solid lifts there.. do you find your strength increasing more than your size with the sort of exercises your doing?

Don't Just Do It ... DAMAGE IT!

ORIGINAL: reevo8

Good strong lifts there mate!

Bench is good! Deads very good! I also noticed that after your cut you were a fairly low weight and that rebounded very rapidly, does this reflect in the way you look? (nearly said mirror-durr)

Why fascia training at the end? And forgive my lack of knowledge, but what constitutes fascia exercises?

I'm not sure what it was really. Currently i'm sitting at about 187 in the morning so i've only really gained 10-13 lbs since August, and i'm still fairly lean.

Fascia stretching involves pumping the muscle up quite substantially (i'm guilty of not doing this properly, mainly because i don't seem to get much from flies and the cable crossover machine is never available!), then holding a weighted stretch for up to a minute. For the Chest its basically the bottom of a flye movement, but held for 1 minute. Absolute torture

ORIGINAL: AshCooper

good solid lifts there.. do you find your strength increasing more than your size with the sort of exercises your doing?

I'm not entirely sure really mate. Strength seems to go up every week or two with some exercises - although i like to do some power movements like deads/cleans for enjoyment as well as strength/size benefits.

Although as i'm looking at myself in the mirror everyday i personally don't see any substantial change unless i'm looking at pictures

Lower A

Front Squats

40kgx10
50kgx8
55kgx8

Cleans

40kgx8
50kgx8
55kgx7

Deadlifts

100kgx6
140kgx6
145kgx5

Tried for 6 and failed. Back went, grip went, fooked

Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
95kgx12
95kgx12

Bent Leg Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
90kgx12
90kgx12

Hanging Leg Raises

BWx12
BWx10

Fun session - cleans still need perfecting as i've been told i'm not driving enough with my legs, but im struggling to get my head around how to do it exactly.

Deads were really good, back felt worked very nicely

Upper B

Pendlay Row

60kgx8
65kgx8
70kgx8
65kgx8

Dumbell Shoulder Press

20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises -7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises 7.5kgx8

Dumbell Rows

27.5kgx10
30kgx10
30kgx10

Behind the Neck Barbell Press

40kgx8
45kgx6
40kgx6

Too heavy, dropping it next week.

EZ Bar Curls

20kgx12
22.5kgx12
20kgx10

All this time i didnt even no you had a journal

Just flicked back to your progress shots and youv'e done your self pround mate - stick at it and u'll be as big as me one day lol.

Do you find Fascia streching benifits you?? i did it for a little but it was half arsed and felt i was wasting time, may give it another shot.

Hoi Scott

I don't know at the moment in all honesty. I haven't really pumped my chest to the point at which i should, mainly because flyes don't seem to do much for me, and partly because the cable crossover machine is a nightmare to get onto at my gym.

It's early days having only done 3 sessions on it, and my split isn't entirely ideal for it, but we'll see how it goes.

DOM's are still here 3 days on so perhaps that bodes well

I only used to use the approuch for calfs (but me being lazy) have dropped calfs completly and are just relying on heavy squating.

Il check in from time to time see if its bowding well for you.

Lower B

Back Squats

60kgx8
80kgx8
90kgx5

Bloody awful. Knee felt like it was going to buckle so got away from these asap, back to 20 reppers next week me thinks.

Leg Press

80kgx20
100kgx20
110kgx30

30 repper, yummy

Stiff Legged Deadlifts

60kgx8
70kgx8
75kgx8

Standing Calf Raises

60kgx30
65kgx30
65kgx30

Bent Leg Standing Calf Raises

65kgx30
60kgx30
60kgx30

Weighted Crunches

5kgx15
5kgx15

Bugger all sleep last night, maybe 5-6 hours. Not a bad session in light of that.

If the back squats are giving you yip mate...

Have you tried hack squats instead??

A very good alternative IME

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Hmm hack squats, never tried them before. Looks like a deadlift with the bar behind you though?

I'm not really sure why my knee was not liking the squats, maybe its down to not going heavy for some time and it's deconditioned a bit. Eitherway i may try a combination of 20 rep back squats, hack squats and leg press. My quads must love me

No mate :

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/SLHackSquat.html

I've started these a few weeks ago...

They have sparked new growth in my quads....

Go light with the weight until you get used to them

The machine supports your back

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Oh right, we haven't got one of those in my uni gym

This is where my thoughts came from though;

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html

Yep that would work mate...

fu$king uni gyms eh??

LOL

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Too right mate.

Dipping station is so awful i've had to drop it completely, some of the barbells resemble more of a U than a straight bar.

Alas, it's being done up over christmas, so heres to hoping santa brings me something useful

LOL

how's everything else going??

All ok??

How's the eating big lad??

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Other than the dodgy squats today everythings been good. Felt physically fresh in the gym all week and not completely destroyed by the end of it.

Eating is still clean as ever. Only minor cheating once or twice a week, saving my excess cals for the alcohol in coming weeks again

Good stuff mate...

Keep up the good work...

I hope Santa fetches you something nice...

Maybe a new shiny hack squat machine

I'll pop back in a bit

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Upper A

Flat BB Bench

60x10
70kgx8
75kgx8
75kgx8

Wide Grip Chins

BWx8
BWx8
BWx x8
BWx6

Incline DB Bench

27.5kgx8
27.5kgx8
27.5kgx8

Close Grip Chins

BWx8
BWx6
BWx6

Bit of fascia & tricep work to finish up, pretty good session

How you doing buddy? Good progress with the weight so far, well done! What's a Pendlay row by the way?

Nothing contributes so much to tranquilizing the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.

Hiya Jake, everythings going very well thanks.

A pendlay row is similar to a barbell row but it's a bit more explosive and your back is parallel to the floor when you do it.

Heres a video;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvWeC2dXRsA

ello mat ethough tid pop in and say high n to see how ya progressing been reading but aint left a message so thought i would keep it up mate

my new journal

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_2226931/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#2226951

Lower A

Front Squats

40kgx10
45kgx8
45kgx8

Cleans

40kgx8
40kgx8
45kgx8

Deadlifts

100kgx6
140kgx6
140kgx6

Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
90kgx12


Bent Leg Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
90kgx12

Hanging Leg Raises

BWx12
BWx10

Bit of a quick session today, so dropped a set on each calf exercise - good haul for today though

Upper B

Pendlay Row

60kgx8
70kgx8
70kgx8
70kgx8

Dumbell Shoulder Press

20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx10
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx10
20kgx7 - SS Lateral Raises -7.5kgx10
20kgx7 - SS Lateral Raises 7.5kgx8

Dumbell Rows

27.5kgx10
30kgx10
30kgx10

Behind the Neck Barbell Press

30kgx8
32.5kgx8
30kgx8

EZ Bar Curls

20kgx12
20kgx12
20kgx12

Quick intense session, good fun

Lower B

Hack Squats

60kgx8
80kgx8
100kgx8

Not a bad exercise, but didn't really feel it in my quads as much, not sure what next week will bring.

Leg Press

80kgx20
110kgx20
120kgx20

Stiff Legged Deadlifts

60kgx8
70kgx8
75kgx8

Standing Calf Raises

60kgx30
70kgx30


Bent Leg Standing Calf Raises

70kgx30
70kgx30

Weighted Crunches

5kgx15
10kgx12

whats your oppinion now then on hack squats v paused leg extensions?

"Progress journal"
Get in, 4 plate deadlift done for reps!

"My Hero"

Hey fella, im studying exercise nutrition atm and MAY need a hand understanding a few things, only just started but be expecting a bonbardment of questioning lol.

Youv'e got quite a strong back btw mate, hows training and were are you located atm?

ORIGINAL: tristram

whats your oppinion now then on hack squats v paused leg extensions?

Hack squats were 'ok'. They didn't really feel like direct quad work per cé, probably down to the centre of mass of the bar behind below the quads than above. Felt very deadlifty, but my legs were quite shaky at the end of the last 2 sets, make up your own mind really

ORIGINAL: Scott32

Hey fella, im studying exercise nutrition atm and MAY need a hand understanding a few things, only just started but be expecting a bonbardment of questioning lol.

Youv'e got quite a strong back btw mate, hows training and were are you located atm?

I'll give it a go - only just started my nutrition module for my degree but the biochemistry side of things i have a fairly good grip on.

Back is probably my strongest point, enjoy training it a lot and it seems to respond well to whatever i throw at it. Training is going well atm too sitting at around 190 or so i think currently, much leaner state than i was this time last year too. Should make it to a cleanish 200-210 before cutting this year.

Down in Portsmouth for uni at the moment - will be back in the essex ghetto in december for a month or so

Your probly far superior to me on nutritional knowledge lol cheers mate, as i say il see how i find it.

I respond well to most body parts size wise strenghts another mater.

A lean-ish 200 is a great place to be at. Im sitting at 225lbs 20-25% atm, got cutting to start in jan so hope to be a ripped 205lbs by march.

Let us no when your down in the getto and il try n get a work out in with ya.

If your lucky big boy

Upper A

Flat BB Bench

60x10
70kgx8
75kgx8
75kgx8

Wide Grip Chins

BWx8
BWx8
BWx x8
BWx7

Incline DB Bench

25kgx8
27.5kgx8
27.5kgx8

Lat Pulldown

Changed from close grip for a while, don't feel i'm getting anything out of it.

90kgx10
110kgx10
90kgx10

Close Grip Bench

40kgx12
50kgx10
50kgx8

Bit of fascia work again at the end. Going to have a look at my diet and readjust this week - lifts seem to be quite stagnant.

Onward and upward though

looks like a good solid workout there mate

quick question for ya if you dont mind. On the wide grip chins do you go slow and smooth on the movement or bang them out as fast as possible?

Slow and smooth normally eddie - Probably 2s each way or just below that.

Bang them out as fast as possible = more momentum used = less TUT = less efficient exercising

aye thats what i thought, i do them generally slow and smooth, used to just bang them out, but now i get major doms from it

you ever get pains in the lower neck from BB bent over rows mate?

Can't say i do - but i do Pendlay rows. I find the movement is a lot better with my back parallel to the floor and i get a better feeling of work than i ever did with BB rows.

Lower A

Front Squats

40kgx10
50kgx8
55kgx8

Cleans

40kgx8
50kgx8

Deadlifts

100kgx6
140kgx6
145kgx6

Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
95kgx12


Bent Leg Standing Calf Raises

90kgx12
95kgx12

Hanging Leg Raises

BWx10
BWx10

Upper B

Pendlay Row

60kgx8
65kgx8
65kgx8
67.5kgx8

Dumbell Shoulder Press

20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises - 7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises -7.5kgx8
20kgx8 - SS Lateral Raises 7.5kgx8

Dumbell Rows

27.5kgx10
30kgx10
30kgx10

Behind the Neck Barbell Press

30kgx10
32.5kgx10
32.5kgx8

EZ Bar Curls

20kgx12
20kgx12
20kgx12

Bright and early session today. Rows went down a bit but not fussed, good quick one

Any cable work to isolate the delts mate??

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

Not currently my love - something i should look to include?

ORIGINAL: Ak_88

Not currently my love - something i should look to include?

I would big_boy...

You may find new growth on the side / front delts with some isolated

cable work IMO

LOL @ my love

 
www.ugm.org.uk
 
 

So just some side/front raises on cables then?