AK's Journal

What format are they in? You might be able to upload them to youtube if they're the right file type.

If you're looking to put a load of vids together then IB would be a good person to ask - he's done a few before.

I shall have a play about and see, its MP4 format so i think i will have to covert it. ta.

Delts/Biceps

Hang Clean & Press

52.5kgx6
52.5kgx6
50kgx6

Seated Laterals

10kgx12
10kgx12
10kgx10
10kgx10

Machine Press

40kgx12
37.5kgx10
35kgx12

Smith was being used so used this instead

Narrow-Grip Dips

BW+13.75kgx8
BW+13.75kgx8

Facepull/Rear Lateral Superset

42kg x10/8kg x12
38kg x12/8kg x12

Seated DB Curls

17.5kgx10
17.5kgx10
15kgx10

FST Seated Preacher Curl

17.5kgx10x2, 17.5kgx8, 15kgx8, 10kgx8x2

Pretty good one today, clean and press was better than last week - forearms were a little pumped after doing them. Bicep work was OK, same as last week for the seated curls but the preacher curls bombed out bigtime, not sure why.

In other news, i've had my place at UEA confirmed next year for Physiotherapy - i'm over the ****ing moon as i was looking at other avenues of work and nothing else really ticked the boxes.

Few changes to todays session. Along with my ever ****ed back, i had a nasty fall on some concrete yesterday and my shins are both swollen up, so anything involving putting weight on my shins or knees and contact with them was off the menu.

Legs

Back Squat

130kgx10 - PB
125kgx10
120kgx10

Sumo Deadlift

80kgx6
80kgx6
80kgx6

Single-Leg Press

Right leg then left leg

40kgx10
40kgx10
40kgx10

Seated Leg Curl

70kgx12
75kgx10
70kgx10

Single Leg Extensions

30kgx12 - Too heavy, no pause at the top
25kgx12 - Much better
25kgx12

Leg Press Calf Raise

120kgx10x10 - 15 to 30 seconds rest between sets.

Finished off with some gluteal bridges supersettedi with planks.


Bit of a hot and cold session. The squats were OK - the good reps were fine, but the bad reps i could feel the strain in the exact place my back is problematic in even with a belt on, so it put a downer on the PB. If my hips came up too soon, the strain transferred straight to my lower back.

Leg press was done single legged to prevent my hips coming off the pad, as i think this may be the root cause of all my problems, by steadying the other leg on the floor it gave me a much more stable base. Also bloody hard to do :D

Was doing to do RDL's today and see how they felt, but the issues with my shins at present means it's a no go, i'm also unsure how my back would fare up to them. Will probably do Sumo's again on thursday to try and fine-tune the form and see how they feel after a full back session.

Training in general, particularly lower body, is going to be as functional as possible now to see if a posterior chain weakness is the underlying cause of this problem, meaning;

• More hamstring/glute/lower back work where possible
• Cardio on off days to keep mobile
• Daily foam rolling
• Core work at the end of each session

I'm avoiding painkillers & NSAID's where possible as they'll just slow down the healing process and will try one more squat session next week and try to tighten up the form. If i'm still getting issues then i'll have to re-evaluate whether i can legitimately continue to squat or not whilst this problem sorts itself.

I forgot how ****ing depressing back injuries are

Well don on the phys course. Know a few people that have gone down that route.

Nice squat pb too!

Cheers Kenders, just a shame it may have set me back a few weeks!

Chest/Triceps

Flat DB Bench

40kgx10 - PB
40kgx7
37.5kgx8

Decline DB

37.5kgx7
32.5kgx8
32.5kgx8

Cable Crossovers

21kgx12
21kgx10
17.5kgx12

CGBP

60kgx8
60kgx8
50kgx10

Seated French Press

Excluding the bar

20kgx10
20kgx8
15kgx10

Pushdowns

FST-7 - 38kgx1 (misread the weight!), 31kgx1, 28kgx1, 24kgx2, 21kgx2

Finished up with a bit of core work.

Good session today, pressing work is steadily getting better, shoulder generally OK throughout. Declines were a bit of a bugger getting into position with my back but worked out alright in the end. Back felt a lot more supple and mobile than earlier today which is nice too.

Back/Calves

Barbell Row

90kgx10
90kgx8
80kgx10

Sumo Deadlifts

80kgx5
90kgx5
90kgx5

Seated Cable Row

77kgx10
77kgx10
70kgx10

Chins

BWx7
BWx6
BWx5

Hypers

BWx10
BWx10
BWx10

Leg Press Calf Raise

160kgx50, 150kgx25, 130kgx25, 90kgx30

Seated Calf Raise

40kgx50, 35x30, 30x30

Finished up with static stretches for quads/hams/calves/adductors/medial glutes, leg swings and ankle work.

BB rows were good today, first set wasn't as bent over as i would've liked but i was being cautious, no back qualms here.

Still learning the technique with sumos so no heroics on the weight. Concentrating on getting down enough, and pushing up and out with my knees and squeezing my glutes to thrust my hips forward. Next step is to make sure my chest is puffed out, will address that on monday.

Iain if you're reading this, i seemed to have trouble getting the tension in my inner thighs and squatting the weight up as you mentioned. Any indication of whether i need to bring my stance in/out? At present i'm lining up my shins on the second set of rings on the bar.

The only sour note with these was i occasionally hit my knee with some force on the way down, now given my garden mishap on sunday this was absolute agony

Nice work with the PB on squats and DB press!
 
Jimbo

Delts/Biceps

Hang Clean & Press

50kgx6
50kgx6
50kgx6

Seated Laterals

12.5kgx10
10kgx10
10kgx10
10kgx10

Smith Press

40kgx12
40kgx12

Facepull/Rear Lateral Superset

42kg x10/10kg x10
35kg x12/10kg x10

Seated DB Curls

20kgx10
15kgx10
15kgx10

DB Preacher Curl

12.5kgx12
12.5kgx10
12.5kgx10

Finished up with some static stretches and ankle mobility stuff.

Average session today, didn't really fancy it for some reason so just going through the motions. Looking forward to getting going on next weeks new split, hams are sore as hell today from sumos alone yesterday, god knows how they'll feel after doing them next week

ok ak mate, just having a flick through your journal, good work on the squats pb, could you tell me what sumo deadlifts are?? cheers

rex2


ok ak mate, just having a flick through your journal, good work on the squats pb, could you tell me what sumo deadlifts are?? cheers

lil_jimmy


Nice work with the PB on squats and DB press!
 
Jimbo

Cheers chaps

Rex - Sumo deads are coventional deads done with a much wider stance - my current back issues mean i don't feel confident in doing conventional pulls. It's less back and more glutes/hams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo2jvGa8UYw

Mmmmm... You are no doubt pulling sumo in a conventional fashion.. if ya get my drift. It's what I do and I used what is known as a modifyed sumo, ie the hands are pretty much just inside the shins. Are you flexable in the hips? If so the tension may not feel as much?
 
Without being there it's tough to advice. Remember its still a pull so its not a total squat movement (unless you a 60kg lifter in a tight ass deadlift suit lol). If you can get a vid?

I'm not sure really, i don't think im particularly flexible though! All the DOMS seem to be focused in my hams.

I'll get a vid up when i do them next, probably be sunday/monday time.

Ak_88


I'm not sure really, i don't think im particularly flexible though! All the DOMS seem to be focused in my hams.

I'll get a vid up when i do them next, probably be sunday/monday time.

Cool get a vid up.
 
This is me at my Brits
 

 
If I was to run sumo again I'd need to get my hips into the bar a tad more during my set up. Top do that I'd need to squeese into the bar and open up my legs a little more.

Glutes/Hamstrings/Calves

Sumo Deadlifts

90kgx5
95kgx5
95kgx5

Romanian Deadlift

70kgx8
75kgx8
75kgx8

Cable Pullthroughs

17.5kgx12
21kgx12
21kgx12

Seated Hamstring Curls

75kgx10
70kgx10

Hyperextensions

BWx10
BWx10
BWx10

Leg Press Calf Raise

160kgx50
150kgx25
130kgx30

Seated Calf Raise

45kgx25 - drop to 40kgx20, 30kgx50

Finished up with 3 circuits of 10 lying leg raises, 10 ab crunches, 30s plank, gluteal bridges and supermans - bit adhoc but got a half decent pump in my abs

Pretty good session today. Sumo deads felt OK, little bit of discomfort towards the end with my back but nothing major. Forgot my phone Kenders but i'll film them next week! What i did notice though was i could drop my hips a bit lower by opening up my legs more, but found it a tad more difficult to drive open my knees, as well as my legs locking out too early. Will drop to 90 next week and up the forms to nail the form.

RDL's didn't have as great a range of motion as i'd hoped, managed to get below my knee and a little bit before my back said no, so i maintained that.

Pullthroughs were quite good, didn't feel it in my hamstrings as much as i'd hoped (though my lower back blew up like a balloon!) so i threw in some ham curls too.

Have to see how the DOMS feel tommorow to see if i've hit my hams properly Main concentration throughout the session was to squeeze my glutes hard through the concentric motion to drive my hips forward.

Good session that. Nice stuff

I must admit it's quite refreshing to change my training up towards something more functional - hopefully i can get my lower back sorted sooner with this approach and get back to some heavy squats!

Chest/Delts

Flat DB Bench

40kgx8
35kgx10
35kgx8

Incline Smith

50kgx10
50kgx10
50kgx10

Cable Crossovers

15kgx15
15kgx15
12.5kgx15
Standing Barbell Press

40kgx8
40kgx8

Cable Laterals

5kgx10
5kgx10

Awful, awful session. Went into the gym in a great, positive mood, buoyed by the fact that my back has been on the up the last few days. Pick up the 40's and something goes in my back, same pain that plagued me in last weeks legs session, great.

From there on it went from bad to worse, strength all over the shop, shoulder pain throughout pressing exercises, everything that i could've done without. So yet more training changes needed; going back to BB benching as it's far better on my shoulders than DB's, incline over decline work for a while, and praying that my i've not set my recovery back to square one.

Contrast shower and back icing to come, happy days

Bad luck. Hope the back is cool tomorrow!