Muscletalk Reporter @ the 2011 UKBFF British Championships

Upper body power today. Trying to ensure I complete 5 sets of 5 reps on everything. Bench I dropped down slightly but only had a spotter for 2 of the sets so alittle down on reps for the last 2. Bent over rows are up 5kg and military press aimed for the 5 sets of 5 reps again and managed a good 75kg. Shrugs are up to 165kg and managed 5 sets of 5.

Trained Upper Body Power:

Flat Bench Press - 115kg x 5,5,4,3,3
Bent Over Row - 125kg x 5,5,4,5,5
Military Press - 73.5kg x 5,5,5,5,5
Shrugs - 165kg x 5,5,5,5,5

Managed to polish off a whole Nando's chicken for post-workout meal. Had a little chips but the chicken tasted good!!

Lower Body Power. Aiming for a 160kg squat for 5 sets of 5 reps and nailed it. Thats 10kg up in 5 weeks so pretty chuffed with the progress. Stiff Legged Deads were ok but going pretty heavy and not really feeling great on the old back so will probs lay off or keep it a little lighter and go for more of a good stretch on the hamstrings.

Lower Body Power:

Squats - 160kg x 5 x 5
Stiff Legged Deadlifts - 165kg x 5 x 5
Calve Extensions - 115kg x 10 x 4

Today's Chest and Arms Hypertrophy

Off yesterday which was needed after heading out on Friday with the footie boys for a few pints and sambuca's :-(. Good night out, havent had one in a long time so was enjoyed. Today went to costco and got me some chicken and steak on the cheap. Bought a few kilo's worth and cooked fillets for my bro. Tonights workout was the last of the routine I'm on now. Next I'll be giving James's Volume Training Routine ago CLICK HERE

Trained Upper Body Power:

Flat Barbell Bench Press - 115kg x 5,5,5,4,4
Bent Over Row's - 127.5kg x 5,5,5,5,4
Military Press - 75kg x 5,5,5,4,4
Barbell Shrugs - 180kg x 5,5,5,5,5

Some good lifts and weights have all moved up which is great. Looking forward to tomorrow's squats. Going for a big record of 162.5kg for 5 sets of 5.

Last day of Lower Body Power really good finishing off with a great new record on the squats. Felt pretty heavy and probably the first time I really have gone to total failure on squats. 5th set was shakey getting the third rep up but managed. Squats gone up, over the 6 weeks 12.5kg which is great. I laid off the heavy stiff legged deads as last time didnt feel great on the back so decided to do light but stretch as much as possible.

Lower Body Power:

Squats - 162.5kg x 5,5,4,4,3
Stiff Legged Deadlifts - 100kg x 12 x 5
Calve Extensions - 115kg x 10 x 5

Last day of chest and arms until the programme changes. Really good workout as always. Find it in particular hard to move my arms afterwards, all good though. Managing 42kg Dumbells on Incline Press for 12reps which is great. Adding muscle week by week. Weighing in at 89.5kg so keeping under 90 is the key, want to stay at least in decent shape before February.

Trained Chest and Arms:

Incline Dumbell Press - 42kg x 12,10,7
Close Grip Bench Press - 70kg x 8,8,8
Flat Dumbell Bench Press - 32kg x 10,10,10

Preacher Curls - 15kg a side x 10 x 3
superset
Barbell French Press - 35kg x 10 x 3

Cable Pushdowns - 42kg x 12 x 3
superset
Seated Dumbell Curls - 18kg x 10 x 3

Cable Crossovers - 17.5kg a side x 12 x 3

Cable Curls - 24kg x 12 x 3
superset
Dips - BW x 12 x 3

Last day of Shoulder and Back workout. This is a hard one, loads of supersets and a really high intensity with rest periods of only 1 minute. Weights have gone up with 34kg Dumbell Shoulder Press for 12 reps. Hopefully al be up to 42kg shoulder press for reps as soon as. Last Leg day tomorrow and then starting the new programme on Tuesday. Looking forward to it already.

Shoulders and Back:

Dumbell Shoulder Press - 34kg x 12,10,8
superset
Dumbell Front Raises - 16kg x 20(10) x 3

One Arm Dumbell Row - 44kg x 10,10,10
superset
Arnold Press - 22kg x 10,10,10

Lat Pulldown (wide grip) - 82kg x 10,10,10
superset
Dumbell Shrugs - 50kg x 12 x 3

Lat Pulldown (narrow grip) - 68kg x 9,9,9
superset
Dumbell Upright Row - 20kg x 10 x 3

T-Bar Row's - 60kg x 12,10

Last day of my Power/Hypertrophy routine. Will definatley be returning to this programme in the future. Its been really good for something different. I'll probably at the start of my prep in February to try and keep strength up. I've found it a little hard on the joints with my knee's feeling a little sore today but seems to be fine now. My hack squats are up 20kg which I felt was pretty good improvement.

Trained Legs Hypertrophy:

Hack Squat 70kg a side - 10,9,8,8,9
superset
Standing Calve Raises 140kg x 10 x 5

Leg Extensions 45kg x 10 x 5
superset
Lying Hamstring Curls 65kg x 10 x 5
superset
Seated Calve Raises 40kg x 12 x 5

Wow my chest is on fire!!  New Programme today. Was planning on having today off but too excited about starting a new workout for the next 6 weeks. I've changed to Jame's VT (volume training) programme. For a few years I've followed similiar priciples but enjoyed the last 6 weeks of Power/Hypertrophy and have settled on this.

Huge pump, chest on fire. Not coping with the volume that well as I picked up the 40s to do incline press and couldn't move them after doing flat bench ;-)

Chest and Abs:

Flat Barbell Bench - 100kg x 11,9,8
                                60kg x 25
Incline Dumbell Press - 36kg x 10,8,8,7
Flat Dumbell Flys - 20kg x 10,9,9,8
Pec Dec - 65kg x 12,12,12
                45kg x 25
Cable Crossovers - 12.5kg x 15, 15kg x 12,12,12

Leg Raises - 20,15,15

looks like a nice session there mate . i,m sure u will with in a few weeks u will have the new program  down to a treat

stevenb


looks like a nice session there mate . i,m sure u will with in a few weeks u will have the new program  down to a treat

Yea its just the change in volume more than anything. The past few weeks have been about training differently and I've definately seen a differance with the last programme so here's to keeping that going.

3rd day of the VT Programme. Really enjoying it. Change is a good thing and I've now seen the light!! Yesterday's leg sessions was tough and today I'm suffering from it!! Back today though, quite bad pump in my lower back after deads so doing Bent Over Rows wasnt great as the tight feeling wouldn't go away.

Yesterday the gym I work in had a re-opening event after its million pound refurb and we got to play with some really neat pieces of kit from spinal mouse testing to anti-oxidant testing. My anti-oxidant levels are 42,000 and the UK average is 20,000. I now know why my back was feeling so tight as the spinal mouse wasnt great. Slight hypokyphosis probably due to being pretty tight through the upper chest and delts. Also my core is 'really' weak. Over compensating on the lower back hence todays tight feeling. So I'm now starting some pilates and core conditioning to ensure structural balance.

Gogz87

stevenb


looks like a nice session there mate . i,m sure u will with in a few weeks u will have the new program  down to a treat

Yea its just the change in volume more than anything. The past few weeks have been about training differently and I've definately seen a differance with the last programme so here's to keeping that going.

ye one off the lad who trains with me has wanted a wee change so i said to him to change the volume off his training and it,s killing him lol but he,s loveing it but same as u he is struggleing with the volume but it,ll be worth it mate .

Day off yesterday. Much needed after some seriously high volume over the past week or so. Trained Chest today with a little abs and some core conditioning. I've added a couple of excercises more to help improve my core. Chest was on fire again however managed a few more reps on each excercise so please with that.

Trained Chest and Abs:

Flat BB Bench - 100kg x 12,8,6
                         60kg x 25
Incline DB Press - 36kg x 11,8,8,8
Flat Flys - 20kg x 10,9,8,8
Machine Flys - 80kg x 10,10,10
                       50kg x 25
Cable Crossovers - 15kg aside x 12,12,12,12

Leg Raise - 20,15,15

Good to catch up in your journal, Gordon.  I hope all's ok.

James


Good to catch up in your journal, Gordon.  I hope all's ok.

Yea things are going grand. I'll try and get a video to show you my progress. For 6 weeks I tried a Hypertrophy/Power routine and the change has made a pretty big differance. Now on your VT Training programme, which I can honestly say is pretty brutal.

Weighing in around 89-90kg with reasonable condition, abs still there but looking forward to next years competitive season with an extra 4kg.

Todays Leg Session:

 cracking leg session mate welldone . whats sort off weight r u going on the leg press ,

stevenb


 cracking leg session mate welldone . whats sort off weight r u going on the leg press ,

Managed to push 300kg for 12,11,10 not including the sled. Flet pretty heavy may try a 400 some day but we shall see.

Just finished off Delts and Traps down at Bodyworx in Aberdeen. Really good session, nice and quiet in the gym so managed to bash through everything I needed too. Its a great gym with loads of plate loaded equipment. None of your 'health club' stuff but all good quality 'weight lifting' stuff. Weights were up a little this week. I didnt use the smith for my shoulder presses but there plate load shoulder press which I find a little better so will use that from now on.

Delts and Traps:

Dumbell Lateral Raises - 15kg x 12, 17.5kg x 12,12,12
Shoulder Press Machine - 35kg aside x 12,10,10 20kg aside x 25 (rest pause)
Steering Wheels - 10kg plate x 30 x 3
Front Barbell Raises - 30kg x 10,10,8
superset
Rear Dumbell Fly's 12.5kg x 10 x 4
Shrugs - 160kg x 12,12,11,10
Barbell Upright Rows - 60kg x 8 x 3

Finished off with a full body stretch. They've finally got a swiss ball and some mats so I can do alot of the streches a I would do at work. Aiming to do this at least 3 times a week. On a side note my shoulder has been bothering me as much now when lifting. Seems to be easing off, the stretching seems to be working.