No.13's training.

BP used to be my best lift. If you look at the start of the journal, both 1rm in squat and bench were 110kg. With my 3+5rm squat being worse than my bench.
Squats now caught up(thankfully) and bench has almost stalled.

Heh heh, to be fair after the first set my forearms were like that. I have quite skinny arms in comparison to the rest of my body and so to be fair I do struggle with chins. But thats the reason why I'm doing them so often now, need to catch up!

Journal

Training in a few hours time, looking forward to it. Was out on the piss last night and don't actually feel too bad today thankfully! Very unusual for me not to be crying in the corner in agony.

I've started to monitor my diet (allbeit roughly) since being ill, using a nutrition website which breaks down the calories and macros for you... pretty interesting.

Breakdown for yesterday from 9am > 6pm, approx 3,000 calories.
However, 6pm > 4am this morning, approx 3,000 calories of beer and onion bhajis

Poor body...

Journal

LOL you doubled your calorie intake with alcohol.... I hope you have spent today rehydrating cos you'll hurt tonight. Keep the reps low IMO, I find basic strength can sometimes hang in there, but any hint of duration and it all goes Pete Tong. Not that I drink nowadays - body's a temple n all that

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

I rarely binge nowadays, I'm more catered to a bottle with the missus more than anything. But there was somewhat of a reunion last night and with my almost non-existant social life I couldnt really say no. However I never realised what a waste of calories alcohol is! Makes sense now why I felt (and looked) so much better over the summer when I wasn't drinking. I dont want to become too anal about my nutrition but I do find the site really helpful.

The damage was partly done by the bitter, lager, cocktails and shots (in that order), but then raided a local Spar shop in the early hours and had a lovely Dorito & Onion Bhaji baguette to soak everything up.

Journal

A Dorito and onion bhaji baguette... WTF! You aren't human LOL

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

...covered in Heinz Curry Ketchup...

Journal

Hello my friend, I see you're back again.

Urgghh.... in hindsight, said baguette was not the best way to prepare for tonights session.

27/11

Squat
20 x 5
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 3
110 x 2
120 x 2
130 x 2
130 x 2
130 x 2
110 x 3
100 x 3
90 x 5

Push Press (...first rep always cleaned)
20 x 5
40 x 3
50 x 3
60 x 3
75 x 2
82.5 x 1
95 x F
95 x F

Military Press (...first rep always cleaned)
67.5 x 5
67.5 x 5
67.5 x 5

DB Row
45 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5
35 x 10

Supersetted with....

Single Leg Calf Raise
bw x 10
bw x 10
bw x 10
bw x 10


Took an absolute age, 82mins to be precise. Absolute ****ing killer.

Journal

29/11

Bench
20 x 10
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 3
100 x 3
107.5 x 3
115 x 2
122.5 x 1
110 x 3
60 x 20

Chins
25 BW reps in 6m 57s

Seated Rear Delt Raise
5kg x 20
5kg x 15
5kg x 15

BB Curl
35 x 8
35 x 8
35 x 8


Early morning session (well, early for me) crammed in breaky about 25mins before starting. Original plan for bench was 107.5 x3x3 but I deviated somewhat, because I'm a rebel, 'init.
I'm so **** at chins it's untrue, but I'm going to stick with them... bw chins, weighted chins, chins for time, hairy chins. All of them.

Journal

Just start your chins low. Next time you do them, just do 6 reps. Yes it sounds silly BUT the next time you do them, up it 2 reps so do 8 and keep upping it 2 each time. If you fail...say like you aim for 15 but only got 13...just aim for 15 next time and keep doing it till you hit it...and so on. Start low though and build up to it. Obvious but sometimes people need to be reminded to start from scratch again on certain exercises. Nice squatting by the way :)

Hello my friend, I see you're back again.

Chins are a fickle mistress at the best of times let alone after 122.5 benching.

Team "Show Pony"

"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
"...those aren't the roids I'm looking for..."

Looks like a great session, well done :)

My journal:- http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/Its-Never-Too-Late-m3480662.aspx

Hey ste, I've tried all sorts of methods with chinning! 10sets of 5, 15sets of 3, 3 sets of 8-10 etc etc... Truth his, I'm just too heavy and too weak

Jedders, they are indeed! But most rewarding, just one of those things to stick with, but of consistancy will do me good.

Cheers FatWallet

Journal

Nice sessions.... I see you went for that 95 PP..... it's a heavy fecker ain't it LOL

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Haha yeah, I think I may have egged myself on after reading your journal!

Bit gutted really, should have been there for the taking. Cleaned it twice, was ok, press on both occasions didnt get past halfway point though.

Journal

Good session there bro. Chins suck

Same here, I couldn't break that transition where your delts carry the power from the push over. Fair dos for just cleaning it tho

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Cheers Keenan, and damn right they do!

Deevee, I promise I'll nail it before I go home for Xmas

Enjoyable session toda,y 3days rest while I missus came up to visit. Diet was so-so, few bags and crisps and half a pizza being the worst offenders.
I've come to decide that squatting for reps is a no no for me now. I know I shouldn't go for 1rm all the time but I'll try and rotate things. Besides, over Xmas I wont have a barbell, just DB's so I can do as many 20rep split squats as I want then...

02/12

Squat
20 x 10
50 x 5
70 x 5
100 x 3
115 x 1
130 x 1
140 x 1
140 x 1
120 x 3
100 x 5

OHP (...first rep cleaned from floor)
20 x 5
40 x 5
50 x 3
60 x 3
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
50 x 12

Chins
BW x 3x5

DB Row
35 x 8
35 x 8
35 x 8


Took 50mins. Feeling quite content with OHP at the minute, with all this pressing my shoulders actually appear to be growing! And while my weight is still down 5-6-7lbs from being ill, I think I look in better shape and my arms may even be breaking the 16" barrier

Journal

All sounding good... no worries about the food, just at look at my summary of last weekend to see I'm all for a bit of junk LOL
 
strict 70s is nice. As for the squats.... I'm no fan of repping them out either but have found this 5, 3, 2 rotation that T0NY got me on to really good. Week of 5 reps, week of 3, week of 2 rinse and repeat.

And do you go gate crashing my gun show young man!!!

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Do you mean work upto a max set of 5,3,2 or multiple sets?

I don't think you've much to worry about the gun show! Mines still very much an amateur production

Journal

Every set of your main compound is for 5 reps (or 3 or 2) and you just keep building up weight per set til you reach your limit. Very simple but I have found it pretty productive and for once giving me a rare goal based structure to follow.

After the main compound (FS, BP, PP, DL) I then continue my session with higher rep work

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Hmm, sounds fair enough. TBH, I was aiming for 3x5 or 3x3 at the moment, but after the first set I feel as though I can't be arsed anymore! I know I can go heavier but feels like endurance work (or in the case of squats, hell-on-earth).

I might give it a bash after new years. I may as well stick with what I'm doing now for the next 2weeks, then plan for the following 3weeks will be high-rep DB work. I'm going to take my bench and smaller weights home with me, leaving my rack, BB, 20's and 15's.

The girlfriend is buying me 2x10kg plates so I should have 2x 52.5kg adjustable dumbbells to play with.

So lots of DB benching, DB Shoulder pressing, DB shrugs, DB Lunges, DB Split squats, DB Rows.... unfortunately I won't have a chinning bar but hey ho.

Journal

Will try and drag my arse away from the desk and train later.

Friends birthday yesterday but didn't go too crazy... still feeling a tad tender though. Was up until 3.45am as I wanted to finish watching Spartacus on my laptop in bed!

Journal

Train you jessie!

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Why can't you do a heavy day and a reps day?
Squatting for reps makes going for the 1RM's seem like a blessed relief.

Team "Show Pony"

"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
"...those aren't the roids I'm looking for..."

I've been doing lots of rep work lately too; my rep strength is getting better, but I'm kinda worried a max single will feel like a brick-**** house after having no heavy weights on my back for so long.

Strong OH work bro

Jedi. Your right. There's no reason why I couldnt do two days as you say, but what it boils down to is that I don't like THEM!! My core is pretty weak I think so anything over 4/5reps and my form goes to pot. I enjoy the feeling of having a "heavy" barbell on my back and going balls out... I used to loathe 1RM squats, now I thoroughly enjoy them, go figure. As I said above, I'm going home in less than two weeks so I'll stick with what Im doing atm, then rethink it in the new years. Possibly have 1-3rep squats one day, then 5-10 Front squats on another.

Hey keenan, yeah i know what you mean. When doing 5/3/1 squat-repping shot up loads, so much so I'd struggle to emulate it even now. But I'd much rather do 150kg x1 than 115kg x 7 or whatever I used to do Both of which I find equally difficult!
Very happy with OH work atm, so cheers bud.

Journal

I don't know what I drink caused to sweat so much tonight, but it absolutely stank, like pure chemicals.

04/12

Bench
20 x 5
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 5
110 x 3
115 x 3 ...equal PB
120 x 1 ...easier than normal
90 x 11

Chins (50 reps)
10 sets of 5

Supersetted With:

Single Leg Calf Raise
BW x 10x7
BW x 20x3 (both legs)

BB Curls
40 x 10
35 x 10
30 x 10


Took about 62mins, allbeit with a toilet break.
Original plan on bench was to go for 110x5, but I hit the bar on the catcher after the third rep and ****ed up. The third rep on 115 was an absolute grinder.

Journal

Some very good lifts there mate, especially the push press. How does a push press differ from a military press??

I take it that you are training mainly for strength with these routines?? Sorry if it has been mentioned already.

Stick with the chins, you'll improve in no time. The way you're doing them is how I got into them, set a target amount of reps and do them in how ever many sets it takes - I used to aim for 40 reps. I can comfortably do 3/4 sets of 8 now with added weight. Maybe also add some pulldowns in there to help build your strength with them???

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Training Nutrition Essentials

Cheers Tuffy. Military Press is a strict overhead press, push press uses a "push" from the legs to help get the weight up.

MP:


Push Press:


Unfortunately my technique isn't as good as either of them!
Hope that answers your question.

I'd say I train mainly for strength in the big 3. However I can't deadlift where I am at the moment, but when I do it's purely for strength. So my main concern is that my bench+squat keeps increasing for the time being, and everything else I do is for assistance/vainity/bring up any weak points.
I'm not overly concerned with how I look but am beginning to become slightly more aware of my weight. I'll be picking up Rugby again next season so want to remain in reasonable shape for that.

I'm loving chins again now. That lot of 50 felt the easiest I've done in a long time, and quicker too. Rather than sets of 5 now, I'll aim for sets of 6 (for 60 in total perhaps?!). But when I can I generally alternate between bwx50, bwx25 (timed) or weightedx25. Keeps boredom at bay at the very least.

Unfortunately I don't have access to pulldowns as I train in my dining room/kitchen in my shoddy flat

Cheers for dropping by, hope that car of yours serving you well

Squat+MP in abit. And on the spur of the moment I ordered a bloody iphone this morning. I'm excited, but also feel unclean, as if I've sold my soul to the devil...

Journal

06/12

Squat
20 x 5
60 x 5
90 x 3
110 x 3
125 x 3
135 x 3 ...equals 3RM
145 x 1
120 x 3
110 x 5

Front Squat
60 x 12

Military Press
(...first rep always cleaned from floor)
20 x 8
40 x 3
50 x 3
65 x 3
75 x 3
75 x 3
75 x 3
60 x 8
30secs rest, then...
50 x 8

DB Row
40 x 8
40 x 8
40 x 8

Supersetted with...

Weighted Situps
10kg x 10
10kg x 10
10kg x 10


Sweat. Everywhere. Squats still difficult. I'm weighing in at 14st 10lbs consistantly now, which is about 9-10lbs lighter than the last time I got 135x3. My core feels pretty weak so over Xmas expect lots of weighted situps and sldls.
Session lasted about 70mins.

Journal

Have you not been reading my journal? The key to progress is hanging leg raises

Strong session bro. Should've added a little bit on that squat though... who wants to tie a pb??!!?!?

They're far too hardcore for me Keenan! My rack isn't tall enough to allow my legs to hang all the way down anyway.
The new "skinny" me is more than happy to tie my pb I've got 2 or 3 squat sessions before I go home for Xmas, this is simply gearing me up for a 155kg attempt

Journal

Good going on the 135kg squat mate

Tuffy's Journal - Click!

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Training Nutrition Essentials

When you think you're going to hit BW overhead?

I have six weeks clear training, and I do intend to nail 90kg overhead very soon @90kg bodyweight.

My approach: simple build up of 5x5, then one week of circa max (3 singles @85kg maybe).

Aren't you a skinny minny now too though SC?

TBH, I think I'm going to struggle to hit BW overhead in the next 11days. My 1rm currently I think would be about 85kg, 90kg is doable at a push, but I'm not getting the calories in to warrant anything more. I'm 94kg at the moment, so if weight drops dramatically , then we'll see! I'll give it a bash though, but I'm not expecting miracles.

Journal

Actually... seeing as though I'll be training with dumbbells over xmas/new year, I think instead, I'll set myself the target of a 50kg DB push press

Journal

A solid few session there dude. 10lbs down in bodyweight and still hitting your PBs can only be a good sign of things to come.

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Cheers mate. Yeah, I think I may actually look leaner too, bomb diggity.

08/12

Bench
20 x 10
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 3
110 x 1
117.5 x 1
125 x F
117.5 x 1
117.5 x 1
117.5 x 1
100 x 5
90 x 8
60 x 10

Chins (25reps, timed)
+2.5kg  > 4m 59s

Seated Rear laterals
7.5 x 12
7.5 x 12
7.5 x 12

BB curl
40 x 8
40 x 8
40 x 8
30 x 12

Supersetted With...

Single Leg Calf Raises
bw x 10
bw x 10
bw x 10
bw x 10


Took just under 65mins.
Happy with the chins, shaved 2mins off previous time and added 2.5kg too.
So very very close to the 125.

Rest tomorrow, MP & Squat on thurs, then potentially throw in a light bench session on friday, keeping below 100kg. Im away then sat/sun/mon so mp and squat next tueday, rest wednesday, bench thursday then home for Xmas for some DB action!

Journal

Good work, shame about the 125..... next time! Good work on the chins, how did the reps break down, was just singles by the end?

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal