Strong like Bull!!

In the past few months I've actually tried for 1RM's on Deads and Squats.  Not something I've done before but I must say I really really enojyed it.  Seeing the totals go up slowly over the months was a great motivator but I came to a pretty big stall on my last attempt at my Deadlift PB.  I pulled 165 which was a PB but it came up convincingly enough for me to go for 170.  170 made it about 2 inches off the floor at best and I was surprised and dissapointed at how much of a difference 5kg made.  My training style wasn't really geared towards making progress weight wise so now I've decided to train specifically to hit that 170 and kick its ass.

I've done my research, bought the book and set up my training table.  I start my journey on Monday and I'm very much looking forward to it.  My calculated training maxes look like this .......

Dead               148.5
Squat              130.5
Bench              85.5
Military             63

I'm gonna swap the assitance work style after every cycle.  To begin with I'm gonna go for the "Big and Boring" method.

Now I intend to up the weights by 2.5kg for Bench and Miltary and 5kg for Squat and deadlift after every cycle so my calculations predict that it would take me 4 months before I would hit the desired 170kg 1RM. 

Any folk out there that have tried this one i'd appreciate any comments.

Regards 

ED

Edited after a reread of the plan

As it turned out I couldn't wait till Monday so I went and did the first session yesterday.

Military Press
Warm up
5 x 40kg
5 x 45kg
9 x 55kg

"Boring but big assistance"

Millitary press
5 x 10 - 30kg

Chin ups
3 x 10
6 , 2 , 2
6 , 2 , 2

Enjoyed it, the assistance Military could have been a little heavier but I'm just feeling my way this week.  Chin ups was meant to be 5 x 10 but I must admit I was happy to get 3 x 10.  After that I got 6, waited `5 seconds then 2, waited 15 seconds then 2.  Same on the final set.  I wonder if I'll ever be able to get the straight 5 x 10?

Workout took about 35mins.  Followed by 16 minutes cross trainer.

Off to do Squat day in an hour.

According to the swanky Excel spreadsheet I downloaded my military press 1RM has already increased by 1.5kg to 71.5kg due to me repping the 55kg for 9. 

Squat day

Warm up
5 x 90kg
5 x 100kg
10 x 115kg

Assitance

Squat
5 x 10 - 70kg

Leg Curls

5 x 10 - 60kg

Legs are sore!!  Could have used more weight again for the assistance but at the moment I'm sore enough.

Spreadsheet says 1RM is now 153kg.

Workout took about 30mins.  Followed by 16 minutes cross trainer.

Day off tomorrow but I shall be burning some fat with 18 holes of golf if my legs still work.

Legs were pleasantly sore this morning without being over the top. 

Did my 18 holes of cardio and was so pleased with my score I've decided to post my score card.



I lost the plot a bit on the back 9 and I didn't feel comfortable with my swing.  Couldn't quite figure it out and got frustrated.  Got a Stableford competition tomorrow morning followed by Bench day.  If I bring that game to the comp it's an easy winner.  Club handicap is 21

21!!!!  el bandito lol I was a member there last year

Really.  It's good value there I reckon.  You get West Midlands too which I think is a great course in te summer.  Not bad in the winter either coz they don't go onto winter mats.  If you ever fancy a round of golf (particulary mid week) then I'm always up for a game.  I get a discount at the Belfry too.  £15 for a round on the Derby.

Where you playing now then and what you playing off?

Funnily enough I play at the belfry now and then as the wife gets me a corporate membership there, other than that i play all over the place. that online tee times is good played the welcombe in stratford last week for £10

I've looked on there a few times but not booked through them yet.  When I stayed at the Marriot hotel near Chester there tee prices were half that of the actual courses!  If you ever fancy a knock let me know.  Same goes for any other MTr's that might read this

Hi Dude
 
Good luck with your workouts.
 
I use golf for cardio too...lol
 
Sandwell Park GC...great course
 
Geralous

Good stuff, I've read on the net and I choose to believe it that 18 holes of golf carrying your clubs burns off approximately 1400+ calories.  Much better than grinding it out on a treadmill!

I'll start with my gym session and then move onto the Stableford competition results

Bench press

Warm up
5 x 65kg
5 x 70kg
12 x 75kg

Assistance

Bench press
5 x 10 - 50kg

Bent over BB row

3 x 10 - 70kg
2 x 10 - 75kg

I went in there wanting at least 10 out of the 75kg so I was pleased to get 12.  According to the chart this now puts my 1RM bench at 105kg which I find very interesting.  Having not ever really tried a proper 1RM bench I'd set 100kg as my 3 month goal.  I'm intrigued to see what it might actually be when I go for it at that time. 

The assitance bench again could have been heavier but I'll increase that next week.

Half way throught the rows I decided that they had to be heavier and adjusted as necessary.  About a 5-10 minute delay between the bench and the rows due to waiting for a bar.  I hate it when that happens.  Over all felt strong today and I feel like I chose the right training maxes to start out on this programme. 

Deadlift tomorrow should be followed by hanginf leg raises.  I'm not sure I can do these without swinging from the bar like a demented chimp so I'm gonna need a back up incase they aint happening.  Any thoughts?

Golf stableford result was a cool 41 points   18 on the front (I blobbed one and only scored 1 point on a few others) and 23 on the back.  Total of 86 strokes so I think I'd have been better off in a medal.  Unfortunately the other guy in my group scored 42 so it's not a win.  One of the other players scored 28 on the front 9 so I was sure he was gonna walk away with it but he choked in spectacular style on the back 9 right after I said "you're gonna win this mate"   A serious jinx there I think.

Belfry for 18 tommorow.  Three consecutive days of golf.  What a great week

PS my legs are still sore from Squat day.

Wow, huge fall from grace today.  I shall blame 5 pints of lager last night for todays performance.  Although I wasn't hung over this morning I definitely wasn't full of the energy and enthusiasm that I have been this week.

Deadlifts

Warm up
5 x 115
5 x 120
8 x 130

Assistance

Deadlifts

1 x 10 - 80kg
4 x 10 - 70kg

Incline sit ups
2 x 10

Swiss ball crunches
3 x 10

Plate twists
3 x 16 - 12kg

I wasn't feeling this at all!  I wanted 8 x 130 minimum which I got.  Maybe on a good day there was more in me but not today. 

The assitance Deadlifts were just pure hell on earth!  I don't think I'll be repeating that ever again as long as I live.  My legs were burning, my back was tight and I was blowing out of my arse.  My hands feel like they've been attacked with a cheese grater and I feel like someone has reached in and sucked every last ounce of energy from my being.

After that there was no way I was trying the hanging legs raises so I did a medley of ab work instead.  I thought incline sit ups were crap.  Felt they were working my quads as much as my abs so I switched to the good old Swiss ball.

The usual 16 minutes cardio at the end was abandoned due to can't be arsedness.

Golf

What can I say other than my luck had to run out some time.  I couldn't hit the ball for love nor money today.  I should have stayed in bed.  106 around the Derby.  Baaahhhhhhhhhhh

Moral of the story, don't drink when you got training to do the day after.

Back on it....

Military Press

Warm up
3 x 55kg
3 x 55kg
7 x 60kg

Assitance

Military Press

5 x 10 - 40kg

Chin ups

2 x 10
1 x 6, rest 20 seconds then 4

CG Lat pull down

1 x 10 - 65kg
1 x 10 - 60kg

Pleased with the 7 x 60kg, according to the chart that puts my 1RM at 74kg now.  The 5 x 10 with 40kg was probably as heavy as i'd go for the assistance.  The last two reps of the final set were push presses.

Third set of chins really slaughtered me so I decided to move onto the lat pull down for the last two sets.  Didn't think it was worth only getting 5 reps out of the chins.

Weights - 28 minutes
Cross trainer - 16 minutes

No golf since Wednesday but I did get out and about on this little beauty this morning.



Absolutely awesome

Interesting stuff today.

Squats

Warm up
3 x 110
3 x 115
5 x 125

Assitance

Squats

5 x 10 - 70kg

Leg curls

3 x 10 - 65kg
2 x 10 - 60kg

Weights - 32 minutes, Cross trainer - 16 minutes

I've always been a parrallel squatter but seeing as I've been considering joining up with the BDFPA I've been reading their rules and regulations so todays squats were hips below knees.  Needless to say I now feel like a fraud claiming that my 1RM was 150kg.  It now stand at 145kg (according to the spreadsheet calculator).  Those extra few inches certainly make it a lot bloody harder than parrallel.  Hopefully though if I stick with it the weight will come back quickly.  Will have to consider carefully whether to increase the weights for the next cycle?

I played the Belfry yesterday coz I felt I had to redeem myself after last weeks pathetic performance.  Managed a 44 on the front 9 finishing that with 3 pars.  Then the back 9 had a major putter malfunction and I scored 53   9 shots better than last time but should have been so much better still!!!  Oh well, Fridays the next golf day, West Midlands in under 90 is the target!

Bench

Warm up
3 x 70kg
3 x 75kg
9 x 80kg

Assistance

Bench

3 x 10 - 60kg
2 x 10 - 50kg

Bent over BB rows

5 x 10 - 75kg

Session done, wish I could have got 1 more out of the 80kg.  I probably could have done if I'd have tried.  Damn it.

Well Done mate....You will get the 80kg next time. Good front 9 at the belfry btw

spudgun78


Well Done mate....You will get the 80kg next time. Good front 9 at the belfry btw

Haha typing error - that should have read 9 x 80kg not 60kg.  The 80kg was well and truly gotten

Cheers, it was feeling like a good swing day.  The greens were just quickl and evil on the back.  I'm gonna take it on again on Monday but i'm plaing with a guy off +1.

Pleased and disappointed at the same time today..........

Deadlift

Warm up
3 x 120kg
3 x 130kg
7 x 135kg

Assistance

Deadlift
5 x 10 - 70kg

Weighted swiss ball crunches - 5 x 10 - 6kg (behind the head)
Plate twists - 3 x 10 - 12kg

Firstly the reason I'm disappointed.  I went in there wanting a minimum of 7 x 135kg.  For some reason I wasn't confident I was gonna get it so when it came to that set I hit the 7 and stopped.  I reckon there was one more left in me but I'll never know now. 

The reason that I'm pleased is that last week I vowed never to do the 5 x 10 deadlift assistance again as long as I lived.  When I got in there today I decided to man up and stop being a pussy.  I'm not saying it was easy but it was nowhere near the world of pain it was last week.  A good example I would say of how quickly your body can adapt to a work load.

18 holes this morning at West Midlands.  Started well and then went to crap.  Picked back up again at hole 13 but by then the damage was done.  Finished with 99.  53 on the front, 46 on the back.  Perhaps the most frustrating game on the planet!

3rd and final week of cycle 1 before deload week. 

Military Press

Warm up
5 x 50kg
3 x 55kg
6 x 62.5kg

Assistance

Military Press

2 x 10 - 45kg
1 x 10 - 40kg
2 x 10 - 37.5kg

3 x 10 - chin ups
1 x 10 - CG lat pull down - 65kg
1 x 10 - CG lat pull down - 60kg

16 mins cross trainer

Firstly, the forumla that calculates the working weight for the session said for the 1 rep or more set should be with 60kg.  Seeing as last weeks 3 reps or more was with 60 kg I decided to add 2.5kg just to keep the progressive load going.  I don't like deviating from the programme but I thought this was a no brainer.

Worked hard for the 6 reps which now puts my estimated 1RM at 75kg exactly.  I'm looking forward to seeing how accurate these calculations are when I test it for real in two cycles time.

Decided to pyramid down on the military assistance to get the most out of my shoulders on the last working week.  Chins were a killer as usual.

18 holes at the Belfry were crap.  No idea where my mojo has gone.  I'm hoping I may find it again before Wednesday morning as I'm in a stableford comp.  101 is not an acceptable score.  I couldn't seem to miss a bunker today and neither could I get out of them in 1 shot.  Arse.

Arrrrrrgh, what a kick in the ego testicles.....
 
Squat
 
Warm up
5 x 105kg
3 x 115kg
3 x 130kg
 
Assistance
 
5 x 10 - 70kg
 
Leg curl
 
5 x 10 - 65kg
 
Getting those hips below my knees has knocked 10kg off what I thought I could do.  How can those extra inches cause so much trouble??  I think the weight increase for the next cycle will have to be 2.5kg until I've built up which ever muscles weren't getting hit before.
 
I had a young lad join me for the leg session today.  He was talking of doing deadlifts after but by the fourth set of assistance squats he was looking a little shakey and quite sensibly decided he wasn't going to bother.  Got him doing the leg curls with me instead.  By the look on his face I think he's gonna be in some pain tommorow
 
Todays golf competition was sublime.  Scored 43 Stableford, 85 strokes overall.  Really solid and consistant play.  Unfortunately the other guy in my group scored 47 (bandit) so it's not a first but it's gotta be top three surly??  Cash paid onto club card for top 3 finish = Full English breakfasts in the club house.  That'll help the bulk