Mr Brittas's Journal - ****NEW PICS on PG-32****

Hey dude,

Read your cutting journal and just read through all of this.

The cut was amazing and you're getting visibly bigger in pics you've put up in this journal too.

Instead of going for KFC etc. maybe stop off at a sainsbury's on the way home and grab some chicken breast pieces or something? Anything's got to be better than that :lol:

Although I know how you feel...I've been munching junk for the past year without doing any training and am now embarking on my first ever cut!

Keep it up!

Thanks for the compliments mate.
 
I used to take my own food in a cool bag, just like I do for work normally, but once I started bulking I got tempted by the BAD food!  I only used to travel down there once a month, and I claim all the food back on the expenses so it was a nice treat.  But I've been there once a week recently (twice this week), so it's getting a bit much!
 
I'm down there this weekend to move our office down there, and back again Monday.  After that it should calm down and go back to once a month.......... hopefully.
 
I've actually just made a sandwich for tomorrow, cos I know I'll get stuck at the new site without any food.  Plus, the tub of whey is going in the boot!

London Friday/Sat............. my god!
 
Well my diet hasn't been too bad.  I've had 2 shakes, a double sausage n egg McMuffin, a chicken sarnie and big evening meal (buffet in the hotel...... bit carby).  At least I've got the protein in, which I thought I'd struggle with.
 
I finished work by 5pm so I managed to get in the hotel gym and do my Monday back session, which I would have missed.
 
Back            WEEK 5
 
WG Chins            3 x 8            BW for all (6 reps)
CG LatPD             3 x 8            80kg, 87.5kg, 87.5kg
BB row                3 x 8            40kg for all
Rear flies            3 x 10           10kg, 12kg, 12kg
Cable shrugs       3 x 10          100kg for all
 
 
Chins are just getting worse!  Although I wasn't comfortable on the chinning station.  CG Latp was the same as my usual gym so that was ok.  BB rowing was the only way of rowing really.  And there was no other way of shrugging than the cable stack.  Felt good though and made the big meal afterwards worth while.
 
I was going to do some cardio but I really didn't feel like it.  I'm going to load up on the breakfast buffet tomorrow as I might not get a chance for anything more than a shake during the day.  Then call for something like a sandwich on the way home, cos the wife is cooking lasange for tea.

I'm soooo tired from work and travelling!  I worked Saturday, drove home in the afternoon, then drove back down to London on Sunday night to be there Monday.  My diet has been shocking for 4 days and I can tell.  Not enough good food, too much bad!
 
I'm dead today and for the first time in months, I dreaded going to the gym.
 
Chest            WEEK 5
 
Flat BB Bench            3 x 8            90kg, 95kg, 100kg (4)
Inc DB bench            3 x 8             30kg (10), 34kg, 34kg
Dec BB bench            3 x 10          60kg, 65kg, 70kg
Cable x overs            3 x 10          30kg (per side) for all
Seated calf                3 x 20          47.5kg for all
 
 
For the first time in ages I've had a truely dissapointing session.  Ok, I set the weight back a week on the flat bench....... that needed doing because last week was too heavy, but the reps were poor today.  Rest of the session was ok, but nothing great.
 
And to make matters worse....... I hurt my knee skipping last night!  So my new found cardio routine is on hold for a few days..... possibly forever if it hurts my knee like this again.
 
I felt small and fat today.  I felt much better once I got a chest pump I suppose.  I have to change something somewhere or I will have to resort to a drastic 2 week cut to sort myself out.  I'm eating too much crap, but not enough good food to grow.  My wife seems to be rebelling and eating all sorts of rubbish (she can get away with it), so I'm getting dragged into it.  I think the worst thing has been all the travelling.  On Sunday night and Monday I actually just bought a sandwich cos I was sick of KFCs!
 
There's no way I could do any morning carido this week, cos I'm so tired from work.  But I'll make the effort next week.

Just a quick update............ I'm having a nightmare week!
 
I ended up going back down to London yesterday to fix an urgent problem.  I had a whey shake at 5am (got up at 4.30am!), drove to London.  I didn't fancy any kind of cooked breakfast as I've had that many lately so I just had a chicken sandwich at 8am.  I was stuck on site til 6pm and only had a whey shake to keep me going.  About 8pm I had a KFC as I was starving, then that was it.  I got home about 10.30pm!!
 
I've been in a meeting all day so far today, so I've had to miss the gym again.  That means I'll definitely have to miss a couple of body parts out this week.  I've trained back and chest so far this week, leaving legs, shoulders and arms to do!  I'll do legs and bi's tomorrow, then push the Shoulders and tri's session to next Monday.  If I get all 5 sessions in I can catch up.  If not, I'll just carry on with that routine (shoudlers, back, chest, legs, arms).  We'll see.
 
This is the worst training week I've had in a long long time.  I hope I don't have to go to London next week and I can get back into some cardio too.

I ended up skipping a couple of meals yesterday due to being so busy at work!  No wonder todays session felt so hard.
 
Legs + Bi's            WEEK 5
 
Leg press            3 x 10            160kg, 180kg, 180kg
Squats                 3 x 8              50kg for all        (poor reps)
Ham curls            3 x 10             65kg for all
 
DB curls               3 x 10             20kg, 22kg, 22kg
BB curls                2 x 10            25kg, 25kg
 
 
Leg press wasn't too bad.  I didn't go up to 200kg because I didn't want to drop below 8 reps.  But it took it out of me and squats were just a waste of time.  Bi's went ok, but I was shaking by this stage!
 
I've never realised impact of poor diet on a workout, but after eating well for a few months then having a dodgy couple of weeks and 2 really bad days......... it's hit me today.
 
So......... going forward.     I'm missing shoulders and tri's this week so they have to be trained on Monday.  I'll train using a 4 day split until I can actually train 5 days and get back to normal.  I'm loading on creatine again on Monday (had 2 weeks off it) and I will be making sure I get my diet back on track.  I also plan on getting the morning cardio back on track (must be 4 weeks since I've done this), and have another go at skipping towards the back end of next week.
 
I always knew this office move down south would send my training and diet all over the place.  At least I've managed to train through it.

The weekend has been ok food wise.  Plenty of protein.
 
My knees are still hurting which is a bit of a worry.  I think I'll have to resort to brisk walking for cardio...... if I can ever get out of bed to do some.  Skipping is certainly out for a week or 2.
 
Shoulders + Tri's            WEEK 5  (week 5 has actually spanned 3 calender weeks!)
 
Hammer press            3 x 8            90kg, 95kg (6), 100kg (4)
DB press                     3 x 8            20kg, 22kg, 22kg
Side raises                  3 x 10          10kg, 12kg, 12kg
 
Smith CGBP                3 x 8            40kg (not inc bar) for all
Pushdowns                3 x 10          65kg for all
 
 
Another great lift on the shoulders but again, the reps are getting low.  I've only got another week doing this exercise so I'll stick to this weight next week.  Amazing to think I've added 20kg to my PB lift on this exercise...... all in 5 weeks!!  Obviously I'd not done it for a while and got stronger beforehand, but still a great acheivement for me.  I didn't enjoy the tri's much but they'll get hit plenty this week.
 
I'm praying I don't have to go anywhere with work this week, or have any time off so I can train 5 days and fit Week 6 into this week and catch back up.  Then it's all change again the week after.  Which I'm ready for to be honest.  If not, I'll continue with this staggered approach until I catch up.  I like the layout so I don't want to mess with it.
 
I'm going to make another concious effort to drop carbs from my evening meals (yet again), just to try and drop a bit of fat.  If I end up cooking a meal for the family where I can't avoid carbs, I'll live with it.  But if I can skip them more often than not, it'll help.  I do feel a tad bit leaner after having some bad food days last week. 
 
I'm also loading on creatine again from today.

I'm so tired today it's unreal.  Think it's all catching up with me.  And the little one slept right through the night so I can't even blame him!
 
Back            WEEK 6
 
WG chins            3 x 8             BW for all (8, 7, 6)
CG LatPD            2 x 8            87.5kg, 95kg (6)
T bar machine     3 x 8            55kg, 57.5kg, 57.5kg
DB shrugs          3 x 8             46kg for all
Rear flies            2 x 10            12kg for both
Seated calf         3 x 20            45kg, 47.5kg, 50kg
 
 
It kinda felt like a really bad session and my energy levels just crashed half way through.  But looking at those numbers I did ok.  I now officially hate WG chins and I'm looking forward to getting back to pulldowns next week.  I did the full stack on the CG pulldowns and went heavier than ever on the T bar machine.  Shrugs were crap, and I don't enjoy DB shrugs.  Prefer BB everytime.  I knocked the calf weight down a bit cos I was beat!
 
I'm hoping the creatine gives me a boost again, and I'm definitely ready for a routine change.
 
The new routine will involve some of the following changes........  I'm to have another go at deadlifting.  So my back day will be deads, pulldowns, rows (maybe BB or cable), then potentially shrugs if they don't feel shot from deads.  If I don't get on with deads again, they will be dropped after 6 weeks.  But I'll give em a go.
 
Can't decide on what to do for the chest.  I'd love to do some heavy decline work but I don't have a spotter and there's no decline bench in the rack.  I'm thinking flat DB's again and the incline work will definitely be on the smith again.  Then maybe some dips and cable X overs.  I'm not going to chase the 50's now I've done them, and make sure the reps get up through the whole exercise.
 
For the legs, it'll be back to squatting first then leg press, then some light/high rep SLDLs (had back trouble here so I don't want to go heavy).  For the calves I'll try a light/high rep day at 25 reps and a heavy day at 8-10 reps.  If I'm pushed for time, I'll just do the light day. 
 
Shoulders will be smith press and some kind of DB or machine work.
 
Arms will depend whether it's a 4 or 5 day split, but I think I'll be sticking to the DB's for the Bi's.  I've enjoyed it and there's still some room to progress.  Tri's will be mainly skulls again I think. 
 
Now I've smashed some of my PB's, I think it's time to concentrate on form and getting good reps out (not dropping to 4 and 5 reps).  I don't have as much to prove now I've hit some of my personal goals and I can concentrate on bodybuilding.

How are your knees brittas?? Can you still skip or will you have to start walking as part of your cardio?

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shane278


How are your knees brittas?? Can you still skip or will you have to start walking as part of your cardio?

They feel fine til I run and then they feel a bit sore.  I mean....... the only running I've done is running to the car and stuff, but it doesn't feel great.  I'm leaving skipping alone until it's fully healed, but I will try it again one day.
 
As for cardio, I've not done any morning cardio for 4 weeks now.  Combination of being busy at work and being lazy!!  I plan on starting with a brisk walk again and see if my knees allow me to turn it into a light jog. 
 
I just need to get out of bed on a morning which just isn't happening at the minute.  I'm well and truely out of the habit.

Hi mate, hope all is well

Once the first few early morning sessions are out of the way you'll be fine.

RACK


Hi mate, hope all is well

Once the first few early morning sessions are out of the way you'll be fine.

Yeah I'm usually quite good at it.  I'm like a machine when I'm cutting, but keeping cardio in when I'm bulking is a different story!!!  Zero will power!

Alas, no running this morning making it 5 weeks with no real cardio (I can't do thurs and fri's anyway).  But I am feeling much better for the extra sleep so lets hope I have a bit more willpower next week.
 
Chest            WEEK 6
 
Flat BB bench            3 x 8            90kg, 95kg (7), 100kg (4 then spotted for 3 more)
Inc DB                       3 x 8            34kg for all
Decline BB                2 x 10            60kg for both
Cable X overs            3 x 10         30kg, 32.5kg, 35kg
 
 
The 4 reps on 100kg was poor.  I racked the bar for a rest thinking I'd squeeze 2 more out and some lad jumped in to spot me.  On paper it's another good session, but I felt quite weak.  Just dissapointed that I'm not pushing to smash the PB's at the end of my 6 week routine like I have done in the past.  I think maybe I went heavy early in the routine and have struggled ever since.  No bad thing really.
 
A new routine will definitely do the trick.  And as I said yesterday, shoot for reps rather than weight this time.  Still make sure I'm making progress.
 
 
 

This is a heavy week catching up last weeks missed session, and it's not half tiring me out!
 
Legs + Bi's            WEEK 6
 
Leg press            3 x 8            160kg, 180kg, 200kg (4 didn't feel safe!)
Squats                3 x 8             50kg, 55kg, 60kg (5)
Ham curls            3 x 10           65kg for all
 
DB curls              3 x 10            20kg, 22kg, 24kg (6 too heavy)
BB curls               2 x 10           25kg, 30kg
 
 
A pretty standard session.  Nice to hit 200kg leg press again, even if it was for low reps.  I've thought about my new leg routine and I'll definitely bring SLDL's back, and maybe drop the leg press for the leg extenstion.  Squat/leg press/SLDL is a pretty heavy combo!!  BUT..... if I drop leg press I have to make the squats count.  Maybe 4 sets and give it everything.
 
I had to resort to fish and chips last night after the chicken I started cooking for our evening meal was off!!  I had a big rant at Tesco and will be getting some vouchers when we go shopping tonight.
 
I have run out of whey today and won't be ordering any til next Weds when I get paid.  So that'll be a full week without any.  I'm going to add another meal of quark in I think to keep protein high.  If it's ok, I might keep doing this and only use whey PWO.

My evening meals are getting worse and worse thanks to my lovely wife!!!  She's going through a funny phase with food (she does this) where she seems to have gone off everything.  The only things she fancies are generally unhealthy foods, then she leaves half of her meal anyway.  Meaning I end up eating a ton of junk!
 
Shoulders + Tri's            WEEK 6
 
Hammer press            3 x 8            90kg for all
DB press                     3 x 10          20kg, 22kg, 24kg
Side raises                  3 x 10         12kg for all
 
Dips                            3 x 10            Bw for all
1 armed pushdown    3 x 10          20kg, 30kg, 25kg
Seated calf                 3 x 20           45kg, 47.5kg, 50kg
 
 
Well mission acomplished.  I managed to fit last weeks missing session in, and get a 4 day split done this week.  But it's took it out of me.  The hammer press felt heavy and I couldn't up the weight.  I don't mind too much, as I hit 100kg on Monday, plus I did Chest on Weds..... so my arms and shoulders are shot already.  DB pressing was an improvement though..... obviously because I didn't wear myself out on the hammer.
 
2 days rest then ready for a new routine on Monday!  I can't decide whether to go to London next week or not, so not sure if it'll be a 5 day split.  It's kinda my decision.  I have a few little jobs to do down there that can wait, but I make a bit of money out of the expenses so I try and go as often as I can. 

I just found an old skipping rope in the house, can you tell me what sort of routine you use, i've never really skipped before, should i count the jumps i do or skip 1 minute on 1 minute off etc...

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You're alright asking me mate, I was rubbish!!
 
My plan .......... once I could actually skip for any length of time......... was to skip in 1 minute rounds.  Have a rest then do another minute.  Then increase these "rounds" until I got to 3 mins or something.  I read about people doing 3 minute rounds so thats where that number came from.
 
I'd treat it like HIIT.

Just a little post..... for my own sake more than anyone elses...... to get straight in my head how I will be training for the next 6 weeks.  I thought I'd get some thoughts down before I start my new 6 week routine in an hours time.
 
After realising my lifts didn't seem to be progressing over the last couple of years, for the last 4 months or so, I've concentrated on adding weight to the bar week on week.  I do a set routine for 6 weeks, upping the weight as much as possible during this 6 weeks.  I've achieved a lot during this time and conquered some of my long term goals that I only ever got close to in the past.
 
Flat benching the 50kg DBs for 3 or 4 reps, flat benching 100kg BB for 6 reps (I actually went upto 105kg 1 week).  I added a massive 20kg onto my previous best Shoulder hammer press, and my smith shoulder press jumped right up.  200kg leg press.... just need to sort the squats out now!!!
 
I could carrying on doing this, but I think I've hit a bit of a plateau.  Weights still go up, but reps are dropping too low and I don't feel like I'm getting the best out of my sessions.  I've been using a 3 x 8 sets/reps.  I'll always hit 8 reps on the first set but on the heavy exercises the 2nd set has been as low as 5 reps and the final set has even been 2 or 3.  I also train without a spotter and some things are getting a bit dangerous to be doing on my own.
 
So it's time for a change, give my joints a bit of a rest and hit the reps again.  I'm not going crazy high reps, just 3 x 10..... like I used to years ago.  I will allow my final set to drop to 8 reps if I'm going heavy, but anything less than 8 reps is too low and I'm lifting too heavy.  I'm also going to push the isolations up to 12 reps.
 
I have a couple of concerns that I must keep in mind to make sure I don't cheat myself.  I don't want this to be an excuse to have some easy sessions and drop the weight right down.  I'm hoping after a week or 2 of adjusting, I won't be too far behind my previous heavy lifts.  I also need to make sure I still progress and push the weight up week by week.  Just because I'm focusing more on reps, doesn't mean the weight can't go up.  I just need to work harder!
 
So I'm giving this a go for 6 weeks and see what happens.  I can almost imagine over time, that the weight might go up and reps drop back down again..... then in a few months time I'll go back to 3 x 10 again.

I really, really thought I'd make some cardio this morning.  But after the little one woke up at least 15 times in the night (I'm not joking either), I reset my alarm and had an extra hour in bed.  I just hope this hasn't messed me up for the week.  I'll try again tomorrow!
 
Back            WEEK 1
 
Deadlifts            3 x 8            50kg (12), 60kg (10), 70kg (10), 90kg (5)
Lat PD                3 x 10          57.5kg, 65kg, 72.5kg (8)
Cable row          3 x 10          47.5kg, 50kg, 57.5kg
 
 
Deadlifts are back!  First of all, let me contridict myself and note that I won't be trying to hit 10 reps on deads.  From what I understand, most people treat it as a heavy/low rep exercise and thats what I'll be doing.  All those sets there were warm ups really.  I'll do a couple of warm ups next time and go heavy for 3 sets.  Probly aim around the 4 - 6 rep mark.
 
The deads felt good and I got that feeling you only get from deads....... the feeling that you've worked your entire body from just one exercise.  I'll see how I go with them.  I may just use them for 6 weeks, I might keep them in.
 
Lat PD felt great with the higher reps, as did the cable rows.  I had great form on both exercises.  It does look like quite a short back session but I couldn't decide whether I needed to do any shrugs or not, so I left them for this week.  If I don't feel like they've been worked, I'll stick some BB shrugs in.  I'm also leaving the rear flies for the shoulders day.
 
Great session.  The higher reps made me feel like I'd really done some work.

I'm not even going to bore everyone with cardio excuses..... it's just not happening!
 
Chest            WEEK 1
 
Flat DB press            3 x 10            34kg, 38kg, 42kg (8)
Incline Smith press   3 x 10            45kg (not inc bar), 50kg, 50kg (9)
Cable X overs           4 x 12             30kg (per side) (10), 27.5kg, 25kg, 22kg
Seated calf                3 x 25            35kg, 37.5kg, 40kg
 
 
After a 2 week blip, I'm officially back in love with training!!  After hitting some sticking points early on in my last 6 week routine, motivation went a bit.  The lifts were too heavy, I couldn't progress and sometimes went backwards.  But resetting the weight down and shooting for higher reps has given me a great feeling.
 
Flat DB felt great.  I'll start on 38kg next week, but I think it'll be a couple of weeks before I go up to 46kg.  And I won't be using the 50's this time around.  I love the Inc smith press.  I started a bit too heavy on the cables so I gradually dropped the weight and made sure I hit 12 reps.  My chest was on fire when I'd done.  If this doesn't build my chest back up to it's former glory, nothing will!
 
I'm already thinking of my next 6 week routine, and I'm wanting to do some big decline pressing.  The decline bench isn't in the rack so I'll struggle on my own.  I was thinking of proping the bench up under the smith machine and creating a decline there.  I might have a go in 6 weeks and see if it feels safe.... and if any gym staff shout at me!
 
The extra 5 reps on the calf raises was a killer.  I dropped the weight quite a bit, but they were still brutal.  I'm going to stick some heavy sets in on Friday.  8 - 10 reps I think.
 
 
 
 
 
Just a note to say - yesterday afternoon my back didn't feel to good after the deadlifting.  The injury I had a couple of months ago was twinging, so I won't be deadlifting.  I'm going to try rack pulls next week.  If these still give me problems, I'm ditching deads/rack pulls altogether.  It's not worth it.
 
I'm going to attempt SLDLs tomorrow, which is the exercise that gave me the back injury in the first place.  But I'm going very light and doing lots of reps.  Again..... and dodgy feelings and I'm dropping them.