Nearly back.. Skinny/fat pics page 25!

What colour band will I need mate? We can get Woody bands at an ok price in the UK.

For the next month or so, my training is this:

Going to shoot for a heavy 5 rep on bench one day, then decent volume the next (20-25 total reps at 75-80%) with short rest (2-3 mins).

Plenty of dumbell pressing and triceps with a big emphasis on increasing work capacity on lat training.

Going to hit a few high rep sets of dumbell benches, (RE).

Aims are to improve bench technique, press 45kg db's for 5 or more, and increase work capacity. Really going to push the volume and increase the density in my training.

Cardio may even return.

The next 4-6 weeks are all just about getting some volume in for a real push on the bench and dead poundages around Dec time.

Bench Volume/Upper Body Assistance

Bench Press, Med Grip

Bar, 2 sets
60kg x3
75kg x3
90kg x3

Work Sets
100kg x3, (no spotter)
100kg x3
100kg x3
100kg x3
100kg x5 (spotter)

Incline Palms Facing DB Bench

17.5kg x5
25kg    x5
30kg    x5
35kg    x5
37.5kg x5, 40s next week

Incline BB Close Grips

Bar x8
40kg x5
50kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x5, surprisingly hard
60kg x6

Rear Delts, 3x10

Chest Support Row, 2 w/u then: 3x8 70kg

Shrug, 60kg x10, 100kg x10, 110kg x10, 110kg x10

Workout Time: 90mins

Comment:

Nice workout. Form feels improved on the bench, going to really work up the volume to develop some sort of technique.

Really hammering the triceps, not doing much OH work as I feel my overhead pressing strength is far better than my benching. It's all about the triceps for a while lol.

Note: Holding your breath when benching is a good technique, knocks a bit off your ROM.

Just need to get a massive arch, get my grip out, gain some muscle, and I finally may reach THE bench milestone next year- 3 plates.

3 plates would be sweet!

Can i ask, why 'Sheeps_clothing'?

Jimbo

Formerly 'lil_jimmy'

lol.

Short for 'wolf's in sheep's clothing'. I.e. people are always surprised when I tell them I lift weights!

Just got bored of badboy007, I did make that username when I was 16, and tbh, I am neither bad or a boy, or think I'm James Bond, so not a good username for now.

Would go with my real name, but don't want all my pontification on here showing up on a google search.

Know what you mean about the user name, i think i came up with 'lil_jimmy' when i was a fresher at uni lol!

And also know what you mean about not looking like you do weights, im not the most 'massive' of guys but i certainly lift more than i look like i can lift if you know what i mean.

Jimbo

Formerly 'lil_jimmy'

Nice work! Yes holding your breath in your stomach as you would whilst squating is the thing. Keeps you well braced and drops a bit of the ROM.

When I warm up and with lighter speed work I try and hold it for all the reps of a set. Obviously rarley when over 3 reps!

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Defo mate, at least everyone thinks i'm a rugby player now, think I have that sort of half-athletic build right now.

In a way though, I only want to be an athletic 90-100kg's for the next decade or so, I look terrible carrying any bodyfat.

Best news of today: Bodyweight was 92kg's in boxers only on calibrated scales.

Ian,

The holding breath tech seems to be working. I have quite long arms, should I bring my grip out?

My bench style is quite narrow grip tbh, hand is about 3-4" off the smooth on most commercial gym bars.

Cheers, need to get bench respectable.

I would advice trying to take your arms out gradually over a couple of sessions.

Get a tape measure and measure 82cm which is max legal grip.

Then work on opening out the legs, arch, tighter back, getting your scapulas down and big breath before downward movement. All about the set up! This is one thing that carry's over from equipped work, were the set up if magnifyed to steady the supra-max loads. Also holding your breath is a bitch in some shirts as it takes x3 to lower and fight too touch lol

You may be in more of a need for a hand off depending on how good your bench set up is?

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Ok thanks for that.

Will work up to a wider grip over the forthcoming weeks, on my volume day.

The set up is critical, needs work, but will continue to nail triceps.

Good idea. Use a normal grip on heavier sets and use lighter work to explore new technique. Stron triceps are never a bad thing.

Also remember that many guys use a slightly narrower grip when doing raw work. Personally I use the same grip but will do some narrower work on assistance stuff like raw boards and floor presses

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Press/Bench Form Practice

Strict Military (Benches being used by gangs of lads)

Bar x warmup
40kg x3
50kg x3
60kg x2
70kg x2
75kg x2
80kg x2, felt powerful
85kg x1, double this before xmas

Bench, Practicing form, wider grip and holding breath

Bar x warmup
40kg x5, no spotter/handoff for all sets
60kg x reps (was 3-5)
80kg x5
95kg x5, ok, tris bit knackering from ohp
90kg x5, max grip width

EZ Tricep Extension (includes bar weight 8-10kg)

18kg x6
28kg x6
38kg x6
38kg x6
38kg x6

Immediately followed by, DB Skulls, short rest

10kg x8
10kg x8
10kg x8

Chins (neutral Grip dead hang 4x5@BW)

Shrugs, few sets


Comment:

Ok session. Really enjoy MP this year, bodyweight is 93kg ish at the mo, so need around 92.5kg to hit bodyweight overhead and a little bodyweight loss.

Really need to train with other powerlifters.

Session are looking good mate. Nice single on the military! I hate that lift personally. Progress is always slow....for me anyway!

Taking in big air and holding it is key for benching and squatting. Helps keep you super tight!

I hear you about needing to train with other PLers!

Flynn,
 
Cheers mate, I absolutely love overhead press, I seem to be able to grind out heavy singles, whereas bench I struggle to find the same mentality, form issue I think.
 
I always hold my breath whilst squatting, when going heavy anyway (not that I will be for a while with my knee lol).
 
Luckily, I have trained with some very good powerlifters a few years ago, and it made a big difference, form improved and I trained harder, I find it difficult to push myself hard without spotters on bench and squat.
 
Just doing what I can on my own as I don't know where i'll be living in the next few years. There's a judo club nearby, may try that for a bit of conditioning a couple of times a week, will also help my work capacity.
 
Nothing will ever replace the feeling of a big PB on the squat or deadlift though!

Friday night training: (pre-heavy drinking session)

Deadlift, not pushing too hard with the knee

60kg x3
60kg x2
100kg x2
120kg x2
140kg x2, belt from now on
160kg x2
170kg x2, very fast

Leg Sled, 3 sets, just getting some movement back in the knee

Hack Squat, 3 sets, very little weight, reasons as above

10 mins of shameful gun pumping, if you can't beat them, join them!


Comment:

Did this session in around 35 mins, very quick workout as I had a big night planned. Met a girl in B'ham today, she seems cool, does Crossfit, no-ones perfect though right?

Hey man, how's tricks?
I've only lately re-joined the realms of internet activity. What's gone on with your knee then?

Training looks solid though matey.

Journal

Suspected torn cartillage in the knee only two and half weeks ago. Couldn't walk for around 4-5 days, and was hitting the strongest NSAID for a week or so.

Was only squatting 140kg when I heard the most terrible tear..!!

Press/Upper, only 35 mins to train, gym shuts very early

Bench Press,

Bar x reps
Bar x reps
60kg x5
80kg x5

Work sets

100kg x5
100kg x4, grip too close
100kg x4, no spotter hence didn't push it

One Arm Dumbell Rows

22.5kg x8, no straps all sets
32.5kg x8
42.5kg x8
50kg x6, could handle more but grip not there

Comment:

Was pissed all weekend pretty much and had eaten nothing, had 90g's of Gaspari protein for breakfast and an apple, couldn't face anything more.

The had to do an hour long round walk to get some stuff I'd drunkenly left at mates, leaving me 35 mins to train, maybe less given time for changing etc.

Not a bad workout, one of my mates said I was looking tons bigger and leaner than when I saw him last a year ago, I don't need constant approval but it was nice!

**** it... you did some work that counts.

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Cheers Ian, just wanted to get down there and move some weight.

Not going to be sessioning every weekend, in fact, I have realised that at almost 25 I feel too old for clubs!

Now, where's my pipe and slippers...

So, of all the combinations of words in the English language, I must know.. what made you settle on "Sheeps Clothing"? hahaha

"Wolf in sheep's clothing"

AKA Muscle-less wonder

You get the idea, think I may have been still drunk from the night before when I chose the name though.

I think my board name needs a footnote?

Deadlift Training- New gym

Deadlift, beautiful Eleiko Power Bar

75kg x3
75kg x2
115kg x2
135kg x2
155kg x2
175kg x2, easy but form is off without being able to get decent leg drive
155kg x5, could have done 10+ but left it there!

Chins, Underhand Grip

Bw x5
Bw x5
Bw x5

Workout duration: 30 mins ish


Comment:

Only a real short workout tonight as I had to wait for one of the gym's committee members to be there before I could sort out membership.

It has everything I need and the bloke was fantastic, absolutely what I want. An old school forgotten gem. A midlands version of Adlington (minus the irreplaceable members though!).

They really take care of their powerlifters down there too.

Will be having much more substantial workouts Thursday and Saturday morning.

Plan on deads is to work up to 5x2 @180kg over the next 6-8 weeks, keeping things light and working on form when I can't use my legs as aggressively as I would.

A decent 230kg before New Years' is the aim, I wanted a PB by then, but this injury has set me back.

BW: 200lbs!!!! 6 lbs weight loss since my injury and starting work again.

Great to hear you found a good gym bro; SUCH a big difference (on of the most important factors in training IMO). Nice session too hate having to deal with anything before a workout

Nice pulls despite working through the injury.

Cool about the gym. Big difference no doubt.

GL going for the 230 pull. You will smash it again soon.

Bearing in mind I pulled 215kg for a strong triple and 200kg for 5 only a few months ago, i'm a bit annoyed I haven't hit a pb this year already :(.

Bit of an issue at the moment, as I have no-one to train with, nearest place where I feel I would want to lift with other pl'ers is a 2 hour round trip.. Rubbish.

May just continue to work on gaining some muscle and pushing up the basics.

Forgot to mention, the gym has a Eleiko power bar, deadlift platform, and if you compete under their name, they will pay your competition fees.

As I said, awesome guys.

Sounds fantastic mate. Where are you based at the moment then? (I'm abit out the loop sorry!)

Journal

Midlands mate at the moment, though tbh I move where the work is and have lived in Manchester, Stratford, Essex and London briefly in the last few years.

Gym is in Leamington Spa. I hope to be visiting Manchester soon though, where do you train?

Jealous of the new gym mate!

New gym sounds good, decent find.

Hows the knee doing?

fun meter


New gym sounds good, decent find.

Hows the knee doing?

Hi mate,
 
The knee is ok, I can walk and run on it with no pain, which is good because I couldn't walk for a few days after the injury.
 
Still 70% on the deads and heavy squats aren't going to happen for a long while.

Bit of a hiatus in this journal- getting a bit depressed about training with the knee injury.

Going to keep logging but may just log weekly, detailing top weights/sets for that week.

Considering trying a different sport to keep mentally and physically switched on whilst I can't push squats/deads. Upper body only training is rubbish!

Very cool new gym!

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

iaink


Very cool new gym!

Cheers mate, it's cool. Few guys that lift in BDFPA down there, and have done quite well, will see if I can do some lifting with them at some point!
 
Nice to be away from the bodybuilding scene tbh, lol.

Cardio/Upper

Cardio: 10 mins bike, few mins on the grappler (very hard), 10 mins elliptical

Bench

Bar x5
60kg x5
60kg x5
80kg x5
100kg x7
90kg x5

Dumbell Benches, few sets up to 40kg's, couldn't get set up!

Pressdowns, 4/5 sets 8 reps

Skulls, 4/5 sets up to 30kg x6

Shrugs, 5 sets


Comment:

Nice workout but lacking energy training after work. Going to cut down on assistance for a bit.

'The Grappler' is a rope climbing type machine, very hard and got the nastiest forearm/bicep and lat pumps, will keep working on this!

Sheeps_Clothing


Midlands mate at the moment, though tbh I move where the work is and have lived in Manchester, Stratford, Essex and London briefly in the last few years.

Gym is in Leamington Spa. I hope to be visiting Manchester soon though, where do you train?

What is it you do work-wise?

I train in my living room matey

Journal

I have done a law degree (Manchester Uni).. then did the LPC (London).. Now working for an oil company, in the pensions dept.

I am possibly looking for a career change though into Real Estate (development, investment etc), as I don't like being behind a desk all day, and my mates in Real Estate are out the office 40% of the time!

Sounds good. I'm doing my Masters in Town Planning at the moment, and I have thought about getting into property investment & development, but it's pretty competitive. Like you, I don't want to end up sitting behind a desk all day and so am looking into Project Management which may be a happy medium.

Failing that, a career in Planning Law / Development control is my backup!

Journal