The Decade of Strength (apparently)

Had to cry off training on Fri, as I had a slight tweak in my back after Thursday's powrrraaa lifting and I figured a session of OHP would not be the way to cure it.

I did feel guilty about missing training but planned to have a session over the weekend to make up for it. Turns out I didn't need to feel bad as I had word from jedi that the gym was still closed due to the power cut it had had the night BEFORE!Unfortunately it looks like I won't be getting a session in over the weekend as it probably won't be fixed until next week

Damn council run facilities, they are probably having to form a committee as we speak to decide who will change the fuse

My money is on someone being unable to take even one more second of Rob's infamous Thursday mix tape and attacking the fuseboard with a dumbbell.

He said "Let there be light", and there was light! or more accurately let there be two massive generators in the carpark hooked up to the gym. Not that it matters how we got the power, just that we have it and the gym is back open .
 
Mon 31st - Chest + Tri's
 
Flat Bench BB (inc bar)
50kg x 10 (warm up)
70kg x 6
90kg x 6 PB and a distinct lack of canoeing this week. Not that I'm trying to take any of the shine of my PB but I did start lighter this week, which might have left me with the gas in my tank to hit the 6 at 90kg.
100kg x 1+2 assists not quite a PB as I have hit 2 before but with crappy form,much happier with the 1 I got this week with solid form.
80kg x 8
 
Incline DB's
 
34kg x 8
36kg x 8 PB
38 x 4+1 PB damn straight 2 PB's in a row. A couple weeks and I'll be using the 40kg's just like the bigger boys.
 
Low Cable X-Overs
 
6kg x 15
8kg x 15
11 x 8
 
Dips
 
BW x 8
BW x 6
BW x 6 not quite as good as last week but my shoulder was feeling a little tight this week, so I decided to play it safe and continue to nurse maid it.
 
Close Grip BB (inc bar)
 
Normally it would be skulls but we came across two problems. First the gym's only ez-bar got broken last week, no idea how but I don't fancy taking it up with the person who did it. As bad as it is for us, some of the party boys are inconsolable. Secondly all the adjustable benches were being used by the fore-mentioned party boys doing dumbbell curls instead . So jackman's solution is close grip on the bench press bench.
 
60kg x 13 it's after this set that jackman declares that there will be 2 more, not good as I gave it my all on the first
60kg x 9 some how this exercise has descended in to a competition and I'm already a distance 3rd.
60kg x 5 needing a big set and some luck to even get a sniff of 2nd. I very much hit 'the wall' on this set, looks like I'll be heavily relying on the luck factor then. 
 
Final standings:
1st Jedi
2nd Jackman
3rd Our hero, the plucky under-dog (me). Competing against jackman and jedi, I felt like one of those tiny countries in the olympics that never really habours any serious thoughts of a podium finish and is just enjoying the day and is happy to be there. Still 3rd (out of 3) is still a bronze
 
Over-Head Rope Extension (cable machine)
 
21kg x 15 figured I would try and match the 'Heavyweights' on this.
26kg x 15
31kg x 8 had to concede defeat at this point.
 
some cable pull down's with the rope attachment to finish. Number are fairly inmaterial at this point as my arms feel so hollow that I might as well be lifting feathers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

5 reps on the 38's for the third set tells me you can do 3 sets on the 38's (shoulder co-operation pending).
Or maybe go 3 sets on the 36's if you want more reps.

Good grappling skills getting the heavier tricep extension weight in place

Nice one on the pb mate, and cheers for poppin in mine, sorry I ain't been back sooner, the last weeks been a bit mental!

Tues 1st - Legs (late update I know)
 
Welcome to the sweat-box, as you may have read in my journal, my gym is suffering power difficulties. The lights went out last Thurs and the gym didn't re-open until the Mon, thanks to massive generators shipped in. The upside is the gym is open, the down side is it seems we can have lights or air-con but not both at the same time.
 
Bit of foam rolling to warm-up. I have noticed that compared to the beast of a foam roller that I have at home that the gym rollers are feeling decidedly puny, abit like rolling on a marshmallow. Suppose that'll teach me to buy a ex-russian military roller...In Soviet Russia, foam roller rolls you!
 
Front Squat (inc bar)
 
50kg x 10 (warm-up)
60kg x 6
80 x 6
90 x 3.....grrrrrrr. So damn annoying, the leg strength is there, I only had to stop as my elbows were dropping and the bar was slidding off. This was despite Sgt Major Jedi barking the very simple instruction of "elbows up, elbows up, ELBOWS UP" I seem to be caving in the middle and must face up to the fact that I have to work on strengthing my core, so is it time to break out the swiss ball and marathon crunch sessions then ?
 
Back Squat (inc bar)
 
60kg x 10
80kg x 6
90kg x 6 would like to claim a PB for this but am pretty sure some of them were a bit shallow, so will try and get a depth check for confirmation next week.
100kg x 3+1 PB jedi wanted me to go for another but the heat in the gym was taking it's toll and I had to wimp out.
 
Calf Raises (standing machine)
 
97kg x 15
106kg x 15
115kg x 12
 
Hammy Curls
 
84kg x 10
91kg x 10 at this point jackman looks a bit sick and wants to go home (to be fair he had been squatting a lot more than me) but I persuade him to do another set.
98kg x 10 at this point both jedi and jackman look done. So hoping to capitalize on this I declare, I will attempt to lift the stack.
Stack x 1
Jedi: Stack x 3, I knew that damn show pony wasn't done for
Jackman: Stack x 5, wish I'd never started this stupid competition, that's another 3rd place for me
 

Lol at the Hammys mate, and your squats are moving on nicely.  What weight do you reckon the stack is on the hammys?

crying freeman


Lol at the Hammys mate, and your squats are moving on nicely.  What weight do you reckon the stack is on the hammys?

Cheers mate, it's nice to see the squats moving in the right direction as before I started my journal I was effing and ffffing around the 80-90kg for a while . It'll be nice to confirm that set at 90kg though, so I can push on and start getting a couple of working sets in triple figures (like your good self), that would feel like a big step in the right direction.
 
I checked the hammy stack at the gym tonight, it's 119kg! Who's stupid idea was it to try and lift that

Thats some good going makes my 55kg seem very puny!

Fri 4th - Shoulders

Military Press (inc bar)

40kg x 10 (warm-up)
50kg x 6
60kg x 3+1 achieved with no small amount of leg drive, so not really considered 'strict'
65kg x 0 a foolish attempt driven by ego.
50kg x 8 dropped back down to do some reps to compensate for the previous set.

Seated Front Raises (DB's)

8kg x 10
8kg x 10
14kg x 6 the jump up in weight was prompted by jedi and the lack of dumbbells available.

Seated Laterals (DB's)

12kg x 8
12kg x 8
12kg x 6

Arnold Press/V Press - or JSSS (jedi's sadistic superset)

18kg/12kg x 12 bloody hell I felt everyday of the two week lay off from this.
18kg/12kg x 10 on the arnold press, not so successful on the v-press. I got to about 4 before needing jedi pick up.
18kg/12kg x 8 actually did better on the v-press this time round, made it to 5 before needing help.

Sun 6th - Pull

Found I had  couple of spare hours today, mainly due to waking up early thanks to this goddamn hot weather. So went to the gym and just chucked a few bits together. 

Pull-Ups

BW x 6
BW x 5
BW x 3 wow..I haven't done these for a few weeks but they have really dropped off

Stiff-Legged Deadlift (inc bar) .....kind of. After some form assesment last night, which consisted mainly of a mirror and youtube, I don't think it's right to really call these stiff-legged. There was too much bend in the knees for my liking, so they ended up more like crappy partials. On the upside, I can't half feel the stretch in my hammies this morning, so if I can work them in for a couple of weeks, the flexibility should come.

60kg x 6
80kg x 6
90kg x 4

As i missed Thurs powraaaa lifting, I wanted to do some deadlifts but as i was training on my own, didn't really fancy conventional ones. I did find doing this that I need to work on my hammy flexibilty.

T-Bar Row

40kg x 6
60kg x 6
80kg x 4

Seated Bi Curls

16kg x 6
18kg x 6
20kg x 4 I haven't done curls for months. So they were put in as a bit of an after thought, summer is just round the corner after all 

Morning...sorry to intrude...just 'aving a catch up as I took off to tackle some mountains for a few days...your journals a great read!...if only I could actually inject some training stuff into mine there would not be quite so much eyeball rolling going in!...lolol...one day..."I have a dream"...lolol...

Have a good day mister Deadward...I've got quads tonight and stuff...can't berluddy wait...rarrrrrrrrhhhh......whooo hoooooooo....

Deadward


Stiff-Legged Deadlift (inc bar) .....kind of. After some form assesment last night, which consisted mainly of a mirror and youtube, I don't think it's right to really call these stiff-legged. There was too much bend in the knees for my liking, so they ended up more like crappy partials.

Aren't they Romanian deadlifts?

Is that 20kg 'bells on the seated curls?
kinell

Chins for warmup on Thursdays?

jedi

Deadward


Stiff-Legged Deadlift (inc bar) .....kind of. After some form assesment last night, which consisted mainly of a mirror and youtube, I don't think it's right to really call these stiff-legged. There was too much bend in the knees for my liking, so they ended up more like crappy partials.

Aren't they Romanian deadlifts?
After some more internets research, I think you could well be right. So I think I'll continue with them and label them accordingly.
Is that 20kg 'bells on the seated curls?
kinell
Yes it was but I only got 4 on each side and that was the only direct Bi work I did. So I'm not handing out tickets to the 'gun-show' just yet. Don't worry, you are still the showest of ponies
Chins for warmup on Thursdays?
I'd be up for that. Unless of course yesterday's display is anything to go by. In Which case I won't be up but rather I'll just hang there, doing my impression of a worm on a fishing hook.

Gun show...Tickets....wheres it at LOL as long as it comes with a gurantee to help me get some!

It's my honour to note that you are about to be bumped down onto the 3rd page which you may never get into on the strength of my experience this morning...soooo......at last i can do something useful for you and get up into page one....huraaaaaaayyyy!!!...now I'm happy... have a good day Jedi, and hope you're not feeling so tired today?.....ng

Mon 7th - Chest + Tri'

Flat Banch BB (inc bar)

60kg x 10 (warm up)
80kg x 6
90 x 6 as I thought, it was slightly harder this week as we started heavier but I still nailed them so happy
100kg x 2+2 assist, felt great to get 2 under my own steam and a distinct lack of caneoing, PB next week!

Incline DB's

36kg x 8
38kg x 5+1 PB
40kg x 3+1 PB I had to give them ago, they were off the rack and the bigger boys were using them so I thought why not. Everything seems to be going great with these at the moment.

Jedi put together a solid set of 12 then a solid set of 10. This left jackman in his wake and fearing another 2nd place. So as jedi readied himself for his finally set, jackman came over all Alex Ferguson and started employing 'mind games' making jedi laugh and drop the weights after only 3! Once the laughing fit had finished, he did come back and smash out another 4 but it was too late jackman was already claiming victory.

Dips

BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6
Low numbers this week as my shoulder was starting to feel decidedly naff. So thought I'd take the use them but not abuse them stance. May go one step further and drop them completely next week.

Low Cable X-Over

8kg x 12 when I finished this set I was to witness a sight that will live with me until the day I die. I remember it well, the sun was setting low over the corn field and it emerged from the edge of the thicket. At first I thought it was a trick of the light but no, there it stood, 17 hands high, long flowing mane and glittering hooves....yes the 'show-pony' was here. To see this magicial, majestical creature in full flow was something else, straight up to the stack it went and muttered "time to start doing this properly" and put it right up to 18kg. What had caused this rare sighting?......oh I see two females were watching and I think it was still miffed about Jackman's earlier antics. Anyway back to MY journal.
13kg x 12
18kg x 6

Skulls (ez-bar)

20kg x 8
30kg x 8
40kg x 8 PB
45 x 3......negatives, well at least I know what that weight feels like now

Cable Rope Attachment

16kg x 10
16kg x 10 Then straight in to some over-head extension x 8 (not sure why but jedi started it, so thought I'd follow)
21kg x 10 then x 6 over-head

Looks like I got my work cut out to catch you on the bench then, oh well back to the squats

How well do you jam the bar in on FS.... in theory if your leg strength is there the bar should stay up fine, it's when you lean over and GM it a bit that it slips forward and rolls off. However, if you aren't getting the bar close enough in this could be a problem. I find the bar really has to be as tight to the neck as you can BUT low. If you are up high it hits your windpipe and you can't breath, get it right on top of the clavicle and tight in on the neck, doesn't effect breathing at all there I find as your wind pipe isn't that close to the surface.
 
However, just re-reading, you are also FSing almost the same as BSing, you are either selling yourself short on BS or overloading a tad on FS (unless you are out of the habit of BSing ATM, I haven't BSed for years and would probably need less than my FS weight )
 
Enough rambling, catch ya later

Tues 8th - Legs

I''ll try and keep the rabbling to a minimum today.

Usual foam roll at home to warm up.

Front Squats BB (inc bar)

50kg x 10 (warm up)
70kg x 6
80kg x 6
90kg x 4 improvement in both form and numbers this week, so happy bunny.

Back Squat BB (inc bar)

70kg x 6
80kg x 6
90kg x 6
100kg x 5 PB felt good and strong all the way and no spotting, just little form tweaks are yielding good results and that's thanks to jedi and jackman.

Bit of stretching.

Standing Calf Raise (machine)

115kg x 15
124 x 12
133 x 6

Seat Hammy Curls (machine)

84kg x 10
98kg x 10 and so it was time for the stack challenge again or so I thought...Jackaman suggested a drop set stack challenge!
119kg (stack) x 6 I have no idea what the rest were, as I found it hard to see through my tears as to where the pin was. Jackman managed a 8 on the stack  but couldn't get as many reps on the rest of the drop set and jedi was not partaking...so...so...so I actually won a challenege, that's right folks, the little train that could just did.




@DV, first thanks for the feedback, I will look in to bar position as I do get it 'choking' me. As for the backs, the weight is moving up now that I've corrected a few form issues, also I think doing the fronts first takes a bit of steam out of me for squatting heavier on the back. I do try and make up for this on thursdays powraaaa lifting sessions, where I do heavier backs.