It's Never Too Late

Today was back & biceps:-

Deadlift
8 @ 30
8 @ 50
8 @ 70
0 @ 80 (not a chance)
8 @ 70 (struggling with grip, using opposite grip helps though)

One arm DB rows
8 @ 25
8 @ 25
8 @ 30
8 @ 30 (felt under control for first time, will try at 30kg on all 4 next week)

Pulldowns
8 @ 4th plate
8 @ 4th plate
6 @ 5th plate (I really struggle with these, too weak)

EZ barbell curls
3 x 8 @ 20 (finally did these ok, will have to increase reps as  no little olympic plates there)

Hammer curls
3 x 7 @ 11 (up from the 8s, not so easy now )

Off to Czech Republic tomorrow to see my girl for a few days, back to gym on Monday, ahh bliss...

Back to reality today:-

Chest & triceps

Bench press
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
8 @ 40
8 @ 40 (made it! did a few halves as well)

Dips
7
7 (something on collarbone/pec insertion went pop and hurt for the rest of the session)
7
3 (too sore to do more)

Incline DB flyes
10 @ 11
10 @ 11
10 @ 11
12 @ 11

Incline DB press
8 @ 18
10 @ 18
10 @ 18

Pushdowns
8 @ 11th plate
10 @ 12th
10 @ 13th

No cardio, left foot is fubar'd and swollen so giving it a rest.

Pictures are coming very soon :)

Tonight was back & biceps:-

Deadlifts
8 @ 30
8 @ 50
8 @ 70
5 @ 80 (new PB! helped by someone leaving chalk on the bar so grip was easier)

One arm DB rows
8 @ 25
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
10 @ 30 (all good form this time)

Seated rowing
8 @ 30
8 @ 45
8 @ 55

EZ barbell curls (really felt yesterday's muscle pull/tear while doing these)
6 @ 25
6 @ 25
4 @ 25 (these need some work!)

Hammer curls
8 @ 11
8 @ 11
10 @ 11

30 mins on bike

I took these pics a few days ago, so here they are, to my eternal shame...

Chalks quality init mate

and the pics are great, so in a few months time you can look back and see how far you've come. Good to see you gettin on with it!

Shoulders tonight, full of beans for a change even with a cough. Also found that two pairs of dumbells I'd been using are heavier than I thought. I should learn to read!

Seated DB press
8 @ 12.5
8 @ 12.5
8 @ 16
8 @ 16 (only just)

Lateral raises
4 x 8 @ 10 (will increase this next week)

Rear lat raises
3 x 10 @ 10

Shrugs
8 @ 40
8 @ 50
8 @ 55
8 @ 55
8 @ 55

Back, shoulders & traps on fire after yesterday & today, very happy :)

Legs tonight, and very glad the week is over! Now I can spend the weekend with a stinking cold and then go back to work. Yay.

Squats
8 @ 40
8 @ 40
8 @ 50
8 @ 60 (3 more than last week)

Extensions
8 @ 6th plate
8 @ 6th
8 @ 7th
8 @ 8th (big jump this week and quads were pumped like iron, under jelly of course :D)

Leg curls
8 @ 4th plate
8 @ 5th
8 @ 6th
7 @ 6th (1 less, curses)

Calf raises
10 @ 100
10 @ 120
10 @ 130
12 @ 140 (still trying to get good form and squeeze on these, getting better)

No cardio again, too snotty :(

^ This was the end of week 11

I've got an enormous cough. And a minging cold. Haven't trained since Friday and still dizzy and weak :( I'm looking forward to getting back into it asap though.

Week 12 was lost to a chest infection, cough, cold etc, miserable :(

Week 13 and back to it, though a bit shaky and weak still.

Chest & triceps

Bench press
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
8 @ 40
8 @ 40 (only just made it)

No dips, still feeling the tear or whatever from last time

Incline DB flyes
8 @ 11
10 @ 11
10 @ 11
10 @ 11

Incline DB press
8 @ 18
8 @ 18
8 @ 18

Pushdowns
10 @ 11th plate
10 @ 12th
10 @ 13th

30 mins on bike

^ That was the end of week 13 as well, woke up on Tuesday with evil neck pain that spread to shoulder and left me in pain all week. On Sunday I got to a physio who put back 3 displaced neck vertebrae and pointed out some bad posture & flexibilty problems. Still sore as hell today but she's made a huge improvement. Hopefully will be back in gym tomorrow night and have some alterations to make to my routine to bring my back up to scratch. C'est la vie...

Week 15

Last post was rather optimistic! It took 10 days after my physio fix for my neck & shoulders to be bearable again. Last night was the first time back in the gym as yesterday I was pain free for the first time. I was so weak it was absolutely pitiful and sore as hell today but glad to be in the saddle again.

Last night was chest & triceps

Bench press
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
6 @ 30 (painful)

Incline DB flyes
4 x 10 @ 10

Incline DB press
3 x 10 @ 12

Pushdowns
3 x 10 @ 8th plate

30 mins on bike

Last night was similar, weak and sore but got through it ok after reducing all weights.

Back & biceps

Deadlifts
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
8 @ 50
8 @ 50
(grip was really struggling, but my chalk arrived just after I finished so next time will use that)

Bent over DB rows
4 x 8 @ 25

Pulldowns
3 x 10 @ 3rd plate

Hammer curls
3 x 8 @ 10

Yesterday was second back session on physio's instructions :)

Back & biceps

T-bar rowing
4 x 8 @ 22 (taking it easy to start with)

Straight leg deadlift
4 x 10 @ 50lbs (not done these before so was wobbly but not hard)

Pulldowns
10 @ 3rd plate
10 @ 4th
10 @ 4th

Bent over lat raises
3 x 10 @ 7

Hammer curls
8 @ 11
7 @ 11
4 @ 11 (right arm failing well before left, seems to have got very weak since neck problems)

30 mins bike

Week 16

Chest & triceps

Bench press
4 x 8 @ 30 (only just made last rep but much better than last week)

Dips
3 x 6 @ bodyweight
1 x 4
(got pain in right collarbone again but not as bad as last time)

Incline dumbbell press
8 @ 15
10 @ 15
10 @ 15
8 @ 15

Pushdowns
10 @ 9th plate
3 x 10 @ 10th

15 mins rowing
30 mins bike

Back & biceps

Deadlifts
8 @ 30
8 @ 30
8 @ 50 (using chalk now, wonderful!!)
8 @ 60

Seated rowing
8 @ 30
8 @ 45
8 @ 50

Pulldowns
10 @ 3rd plate
10 @ 4th
6 @ 4th

EZ barbell curls
4 @ 20
3 @ 20
8 @ 10
Total rubbish, right arm was just so weak and shoulder was lifting up to try and get the reps. Guess my neck/shoulder problems have left me much weaker on that side. Hadn't noticed it before but was so bad, barely made the 8 when on a pitiful 10kg. Hope next week is better!

Seated DB press
4 x 8 @ 12

Well, gotta' say big congrats to keeping up the consistancy mate. That's normally the biggest issue with most peoples training, if your adding weight to the bar gradually - even better!

How's the diet shaping up?

My diet went to hell over the month of being ill/injured but is almost completely back to normal over the last week. Not perfect by a long way but is under control again. It will suffer again soon as my young lady is coming to UK for a few days soon, then at the end of September I'm off to Czech for a while, and then moving there completely in October. I am hoping to find a decent gym there but will undoubtedly be quite a gap first. She's worth it though <3

Legs tonight, went much better than expected after such a long break. God help me tomorrow :)

Squats
8 @ 30
8 @ 40
8 @ 50
8 @ 50

Extensions
4 x 8 @ 5th plate

Leg curls
8 @ 4th
3 x 8 @ 5th

Calf raises
10 @ 100
3 x 10 @ 120