New to this so go easy on me.................

Monday 17 October
 
Rest day today so no cardio, posing or training. Slept from 1030pm through to 9am, now that’s the first time in a long time I have managed that. I still woke up feeling tired and wanting more so I definitely needed the rest.
Day was uneventful. Helped my old man with a little work he needed doing and just chilled out, by that I mean relaxed and being cold all day.
 
The last week of training starts tomorrow and it’s a tossup as to whether its legs or delts and arms. Will have to look at how the rest of the week is due to pan out with the upcoming depletion workouts etc. But whatever I train it’s going to be an awesome workout as I’m raring to go!!!
 
See ya tomorrow
 

That's a lovely long sleepies you had !

Tuesday 18th October

up earlier than yesterday as don't want to seem like I'm lazy. 
Went through 2 rounds of posing this morning and was feeling it afterwards!!

Breakfast was gone too soon as I love oats and egg whites!!

So its leg day. Planned to train early as was seeing a friend and we were going to the cinema, got my act together got down there for 10am - doesn't open until 11am. There's me thinking it was 9am opening, which to be fair to me it is, but only Saturday and Sunday! I blame diet brain!
Just means I'll be back down later after getting in a good few meals!
Ran a couple errands that I had to do and then went to the cinema. 
Saw Real Steel - Hugh Jackman's new film about boxing robots. Now it sounds a bit weak for a story line but it’s actually very good!

Now on to the training, and the last leg session before the Yorton.
 
Leg Extensions:
 
60kg x 20
80kg x 15
100kg x 10 failure-> 60kg x 10 failure
 
Hack Squats:
 
80kg x 12
100kg x 12
120kg x 13 failure
 
45 degree Leg Presses:
 
200kg x 20
240kg x 20
280kg x 15
320kg x 12
360kg x 10 failure + 2 forced
 
Lying Leg Curls:
 
35kg x 15
45kg x 12
50kg x 10 failure
55kg x 5 failure -> 40kg x 5 failure
 
D’bell Stiff Legged Deadlifts:
 
100lb x 12
120lb x 12 failure
 
Glute/Ham raises:
 
BWx15
BWx15
BWx15
 
Broom Stick Twists:
 
300 rotations
Did this as I was waiting for Sotonye to finish up his cardio so I could get on!!!
 
Some stretching also done.
 
Cardio:
20 mins Crossramp: Lv16 x 20 seconds; Lv 10 x 40 seconds; Repeat
 
Was an awesome workout as I got a few extra reps with same weights as last time, and also managed to increase the weights on some exercises. Must be the thought of stepping on stage in 11 days and our competitors impending DOOM!! Hahaha.
I was sick in my mouth a little bit follow the workout and before cardio so Sotonye probably did me a favour by making me wait a little!
 
Well just had my post workout white tatty meal which means one more meal to go before bed.
Got a big back/traps/rear delts session to attend to tomorrow so a relatively early night is in order.
 
Hope everyone is good.
 

Wednesday 19^th October
 
Well today was a good day. Sunshine, good night sleep, awesome training.
 
Well the sun was shining when I got up @ 0800 which always brightens ones day. I had breakfast then jumped into the hot tub for 30 mins – getting out wasn’t so hot, in fact it was downright cold!!
 
Cooked and prepped food for the day and second meal I had a Kudu fillet, first time having this meat and it was very lean and tasty.
 
Popped into town to run a few errands and had another meal.
Come 3pm it was time to gear up for training and today’s onslaught it Back, Traps and Rear Delts. Attacked them at City Gym. Workout as follows:
 
Back:
 
Wide parallel grip pulldowns:
8 plates x 12
10 plates x 10
11 plates x 5 failure -> 7 plates x 10 failure
 
T-bar Rows:
65kg x 12
90kg x 10
110kg x 5 failure -> 65kg x 6 failure
 
45 degree Incline Prone 2-Arm Row:
55lb x 12
65lb x 10
80lb x 8 failure + 3 partials
 
Wide Grip Chins:
BW x 8 failure
BW x 6 failure
 
Underhand Grip Chins:
BW x 7 failure
BW x 6 failure + 3 negatives
 
Smith machine bent over rows:
Overhand: underhand extended set
90kg: 90kg
9 failure: 5 failure
 
90kg: 90kg -> 50kg
7 failure: 4 failure -> 10 failure
 
Smith machine behind back shrugs:
130kg x 12 failure
130kg x 8 failure
90kg x 14 failure
 
D’bell shrugs:
100lb x 15
120lb x 15
150lb x 7 failure
 
Bent over d’bell rear delts:
25lb x 15
30lb x 15
35lb x 12 failure -> 20lb x 7 failure
 
2-arm high cable rear delts:
3 plates x 15
4 plates x 7 failure -> 3 plates x 7 failure
4 plates x 6 failure -> 3 plates x 6 failure
 
Cardio:
20 mins Crossramp – Lv16 x 20 seconds: Lv 10 x 40 seconds
 
Workout all done and was feeling good. Post workout shake downed and made my way home.
After post workout meal I jumped back into the hot tub for another 30 mins to relax.
Got a couple more meals (well one now as was eating one whilst writing this).
 
Just got a peptide to look forward to now.
 
Massage due tomorrow, and my last one before the Yorton, and it’ll be chest and delts for tomorrow’s workout.
Hoping I get another good night’s sleep tonight.
 
Speak tomorrow.
 

Thursday 20^th October
 
Today’s morning was filled with a 60 mins sports massage which was very welcome despite the discomfort. Then the obligatory cooking.
 
Relaxed for the afternoon then it was time for chest, side and front delts @ City Gym.
 
Workout as follows:
 
40 degree incline B’bell presses:
60kg x 15
80kg x 12
100kg x 3 failure -> 60 kg x 11 failure
 
Flat d’bell presses:
80lb x 10 failure
 
45 degree incline d’bell presses:
80lb x 10 failure
80lb x 6 failure + 2 partial
 
45 degree incline d’bell flyes:
40lb x 15
50lb x 12
55lb x 7 failure -> 35lb x 5 failure
 
Wide grip v-bar dips:
BW x 20
BW+20kg x 7 failure
 
Stretched between each set
 
Down-the-rack d’bell side laterals: (aim for 10 reps per set)
 
30->20->10lb
10/10/10
10/10/8 failure+2 partial
10/8 failure/6 failure
 
D’bell front raises above head height:
15lb x 15
20lb x 9 failure + 1 partial
 
Cable side laterals:
2 plates x 12
2 plates x 11 failure + 1 partial
 
Machine standing military presses:
8 plates x 12
10 plates x 12
12 plates x 7 failure -> 10 plates x 4 failure -> 8 plates x 4 failure
 
Cardio:
20 mins Crossramp – Lv 16 x 20 seconds: Lv 10 x 40 seconds
 
Found it harder to get my HR up today and keep it elevated but worked equally as hard as usual.
 
Back home and had post workout meal of white tatty and egg whites. 2 more meals to go and thoroughly looking forward to them.
 
Tomorrow is arms and calves and looking forward to an early night tonight.
 
Hope everyone had a good day.
 
Ciao
 

Friday 21^st October
  Well hello there everybody. Another chilly morning today but looks like it will be a beautiful day.
Today is the last “proper” training session before the deplete workouts start and it is Cannons and Cows with cardio, and am again going to punish myself at City Gym.
  My morning was less busy than usual as i cooked todays food yesterday, so breakfast was the usual and accompanied by the usual Man v. Food episode J Adam Richman you are my hero! But i still think i could out-eat him.
Popped into town for a few errands and saw a friend there who purchased my iPhone from me (not randomly, i had said it was for sale a couple weeks back!)
Went to Fitness Development and grabbed a couple of Pro-MR sachets (for the traditional morning after breakfast of oats and MR)
  Looked for a bargain on the new Batman xbox 360 game but couldn’t find one under £40, and seeing as im planning on spending a lot of $$$ in the states i thought better of it – and the fact i purchased a new phone last night too....................! so have a Blackberry Torch for sale (or cash it in on Mazuma mobile)
  Decided to train slightly earlier today so got to the gym for 1300hrs as was meant to be working tonight from 1930 but unfortunately it fell through.
  So on to the workout. I mixed biceps and triceps up alternating between exercises after the first two that were supersetted.
  Short Cambered  Bar Cable Pushdown :  Short Cambered Bar Cable Curls

10 plates  x 30 : 8 plates x 30
12 plates x 25 : 10 plates  x25
15 plates x7 failure :13 plates x7 failure

Bicep Blaster EZ Bar
(Bar Weight not included)
20kg  x 15
25kg  x 12
30kg  x 7 failure -> 20kg x 6 failure

Close Grip Bench Presses
60kg x 15
70kg x 12
80kg x 7failure -> 60kg x 7failure

Alt D’bell Curls
35lb x 15
45lb x 10failure
45lb x 6 failure -> 25lb x 5 failure

Overhead Single Arm D’bell Ext:
25lb x 20
30 x 15 failure
35 x 7 failure -> 15lb x 12 failure

Preacher D’bell Hammer Curls
20lb x 20
25lb x 12
30lb x 5 failure + 3 Negatives

Close Grip Parallel Bar Dips
BW x 20
BW x 18 failure
BW x 12 failure

Seated Calf Raises
45kg x 25
45kg x 25
60kg x 12 failure
60kg x 11failure + 3 Partials

Prone Hack Squat Calf Raises
Just sled x 20
20kg x 20
40kg x 20
60kg x 20
100kg x 15 failure

Cardio:
20 minutes: Crossramp – Lv16 x 20 seconds : Lv10 x 40 Seconds

Finish @ 305pm
  Felt very good after workout and had an unreal pump and an awesome workout to end on!
Necked the Post WO shake and headed home to get the Post WO Meal of white tatty and egg whites.
At  a loose end now that work has fallen through as didn’t make plans due to the impending work commitments. Looks like it’ll be a night on xbox – not that im complaining overly much J
Tomorrow is an easy day of just cardio and Abs then rest, planning on getting it done early doors after 1^st meal so around 1000hrs.
Meant to be working tomorrow night as well – unless it falls through.
  Night all
 

Saturday. 22nd October

A day of just cardio and abs.
Energy was low upon waking this morning. Didn't sleep brilliant as I like multiple times during the night, then time 6am I got real tired and didn't wake until gone 8!! Oh how I long for a normal sleep pattern!!!

Got breakfast out the way and cardio was due at 1130 which is a little later than usual but I was up later.
Cooked my food before hitting the gym so everything was set for the day.
Grabbed a sunbeam after I finished up abs the headed home for a shower and a meal of sweet tatty, broccoli and Impala steak, and very nice it was indeed.
Headed back to the gym as I was putting my training partner through a chest and delts workout.
After we went back to his to just chill, well as much as you can with a one year old running around.

My new phone was delivered today, the spectacular Samsung Galaxy S2. I popped it on charge after the first gym visit as I knew id be playing with it when I got back.

All in all today was a good day despite energy levels fluctuating a little but nothing a coffee couldn't sort out.

Well its off to bed for me now as day one of depletion starts tomorrow.

We are on the home stretch now team. Lets nail this!!!

Sunday 23^rd October
 
Deplete day 1 – let’s see how this goes shall we J
 
Slept bad last night so not a great start but I’ll get through it.
 
Today’s workout is back and traps which I love to do:
 
Wide grip lat pulldowns:
6 plates x 30
7 plates x 25
8 plates x 15
 
Close grip lat pulldowns:
 
7 plates x 15
7 plates x 15
8 plates x 15
 
2-arm bent over d’bell row:
55lb x 12
65lb x 12
75lb x 12
 
Straight arm rope pulldowns:
8 plates x 20
9 plates x 20
10 plates x 15
 
Machine front shrugs:
Stack x 20
Stack x 20
Stack x 20
 
Machine rear shrugs:
Stack x 15
Stack x 15
Stack x 15
 
T-bar rows:
55kg x 15
55kg x 15
 
Hyper extensions:
BW x 20
BW x 20
BW x 20
 
Cardio: Crossramp x 20 mins at level 6 and a sedate pace.
 
Felt good after workout and saw Sotonye there, was still upbeat but not as much as usual which is expected and can probably be said of us all too some degree.
 
Now it is time for home and rest. The hunger is getting to me and I have to try not to clock watch, which for me is difficult.
But day 1 is out of the way and tomorrow will be easier as I now remember what it is like.
Let’s hope I sleep better tonight.
 

Monday 24^th October
 
Deplete day 2: let’s get this day rocking
 
Slept a great deal better last night, but despite this I woke up feeling DEAD!! Super low energy and no ‘get go’................. Not yet anyway.
Out of bed and down stairs for the quarter turns and mandatory poses in the big mirror in the dining room.
Breakfast on the go and coffee too – which I can tell is going to be greatly needed over the next few days so let’s hope we have enough and I don’t mistakenly buy decaf!!
 
Today’s workout is chest and delts – everyone’s favourite muscle groups as you don’t have to do a lot and they pump and look awesome!!
 
Before the workout I have a friend cutting my hair to make me look prettier for the Yorton, when I saw pretty I am not implying I am pretty, just that I won’t look as bad as I usually do J
 
So the workout out:
 
45 degree incline d’bell presses:
50lb x 25
60lb x 15
70lb x 8 failure
 
Nb – feeling weak today
 
45 degree incline d’bell flyes:
35lb x 15
40lb x 15
45lb x 12
 
Machine flat bench presses:
50kg x 12
50kg x 12
 
Pec deck – pushing through palms:
5 plates x 20
6 plates x 20
7 plates x 20
 
D’bell side laterals:
15lb x 20
15lb x 20
15lb x 20
 
Bent over rear delts:
15lb x 20
15lb x 20
15lb x 20
 
Seated military presses:
30kg x 15
40kg x 15
50kg x 15
60kg x 12
 
Leaning single arm d’bell side laterals:
15lb x 15
15lb x 15
 
Rope face pulls:
11plates x 15
12 plates x 15
 
Cardio: 20 mins Crossramp at level 6 using a sedate pace.
 
Workout done and feeling a little zombie like but enjoyed it greatly.
Saw Sotonye as I was leaving the gym and exchanged a few encouraging words for his upcoming work out of delts and back.
 
Now time for home, shower and sleep.
 
Not long to go now guys and girls so let’s get this done. Dig deeper than ever!!
 
 

Tuesday 25^th October
Deplete day 3 is underway.
 
Woke up this morning with a depletion headache, and in fact went to bed with one too.
So with the last depletion workout due today along with the last set of cardio also its finally starting to become even more real that I’ll be in a different country tomorrow and a step closer to my first ever pro show!
No if you told me two years ago I’d be competing as a pro in America I may well have laughed at the absurdity of it. Of course it was a dream of mine, but not one I thought I would accomplish this early in my life.
 
Food is becoming more and more to the forefront of my mind, not with cravings, just with wanting to eat more. Meals seem to be over before I have even started them!! Blink and they are gone!
 
So for the workout, and its Guns today. Made the trip back down the City Gym for the final session.
I alternated between exercises as I find this gives me a great pump and keeps my strength up a little by giving one group a rest before being pounded again. Started with biceps this week.
 
Standing Alternate D’bell curls:
30lb x 20
35lb x 20
40lb x 20
 
Standing single arm overhead d’bell ext:
25lb x 20
30lb x 20
35lb x 13 failure
 
Cable curls using a slight cambered bar:
10 plates x 20
12 plates x 10
12 plates x 10
 
Cable extensions using slight cambered bar:
12 plates x 20
13 plates x 15
13 plates x 15
 
Straight bar curls using ‘biceps blaster’
20kg x 25
30kg x 15
30kg x 15
 
Standing straight bar French presses:
30kg x 20
35kg x 20
40kg x 15
 
Cardio: 20 mins Crossramp on level 6 at a sedate pace.
 
So everything is done and dusted. All that is left to do is posing practice over the next few days, run through posing routine and then just display the package I have forged.
 
Sotonye was entering the gym as I was leaving and as we were both subdued we exchanged few words, and wished each other well until meeting at the airport tomorrow.
 
So now it’s time to go buy the carb load food and get it cooked and prepped. Going to get it all sorted today so I can just grab and go tomorrow and not have to worry about anything. All my clothes and essentials are set out and just waiting to be put into the case.
 
Well its neatly time for another meal so I’m off. If I don’t get time to come back on before I leave then I will see you all after the show when I’m back on the 6^th November.
 
Take care
 

Have a safe flight mate, just get up there and enjoy it and then party like you've never partied before x

Very best of luck to you and the rest of the team. We'll be cheering you on from here! Safe flight and I really hope you enjoy the whole experience.

Wednesday 16^th November 2011-11-16
 
So I’m into my 2^nd week off from training for some R+R and I must admit it is much needed but from the 3^rd day out I was itching to train.
I have been performing 3 sessions of cardio each week consisting of 20 minutes with some full body stretching, all to help the body repair.
 
It’s always difficult to fill the time when I would normally be training and my Xbox can only keep me entertained for so long. If I hadn’t done cardio then I think I would have gone insane.
 
When I go back I am thinking of starting out with an abbreviated routine focusing around increasing my strength and reps in 4 core lifts: - Squat, Dead, Bench and Military press.
Not entirely sure how I will structure this routine yet as I am still reading up on it but will update as soon as I do. Not got long as I plan to go back on Sunday and start with legs.
Eating has been going well and am sticking to a clean diet. Gone back to my pre-contest diet due to my lack of activity but have increased my carbs by 30g the first week off training. The second week I increase carbs by 20g and fats by 10g.
It seems to be working well so far as I haven’t increased my weight massively, in fact after the first week it went down by 2lb. Next weigh in is Sunday morning.
Until next time............
 

Welcome back :-)
Love those good old simple routines.
Will be interested to see how you fare really busting out some weights in off-season, and how you feel about squatting and DL ing in the same week - I always find one suffers no matter how far apart I space 'em!