The Return of the jedi-This is not Sparta. This. Is. Madness.(now incl. Race to 100kg OHP)

^cheers mate, I think that is the most satisfied I've been with a pic of my progress in this entire journal to date. It has been very slow and subtle progress over the last 6months since switching gyms but that pic is almost the kind of shape I had in mind. Will do a full review of the strategy/thinking at the end of this month or maybe next.

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

Looking good in the pic buddy. Slow and subtle is the way to go. :)

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

^Cheers Ste

BacknBis

Chins
Wide
19 (get ragged for stopping at 19 so back on to do the 20th)
12
Sidetoside
4each/ 3each
Narrow grip arching back
6

High Pulldown
120kg x 10/9/8 (-up10kg)

Dumbbell row
34kg x 12/12/12

Seated Row
49kg x 12/10/8

EZcurl
40kg x 11/8/6 -not bad

Incline curls
14kg x 12/10/8 (still dying on these no chance to increase)

Seated curl
35kg x 10/9/8 (up 5kg to v.heavy)

Workout quite comical in that it was quite busy but all the lads up there were found guilty of breaking that commandment about 'thou shalt not covet another man's wife'. It was just that it was impossible not to notice her truly epic boobery arrangements
(')(') -that's the boobs not everyone's eyes
which were drawn like some form of magnetism. People were tripping over weights and bumping into things, others were left struggling by their mesmerized spotters etc. I know it sounds a bit pervy but really it wasn't. You just..you just ..couldn't help but notice. In a way I think it would've been more polite for us all to stop what we were doing and give her a round of applause and her fella hearty handshakes.
No, on reflection, it does sound a bit pervy. If they come again (poss. unlikely) I will do my best to avoid looking
...will require some will power though

Team "Show Pony"

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

yeah pic looks good and its great news on the squatting front! Are you starting to get all excited about nearly reaching your 100th page of the journal!! maybe there should be an award for whoever is the first poster on the 100th page a bit like when supermarkets give the award for the millionth customer! (or maybe not) 


as for the perving! almost makes me want to stop training at home and join a proper gym!

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?high=&m=3731999&mpage=1#3731999

Imsimon

Are you starting to get all excited about nearly reaching your 100th page of the journal!! maybe there should be an award for whoever is the first poster on the 100th page a bit like when supermarkets give the award for the millionth customer! (or maybe not) 

Oooooh I am now.
I hadn't noticed before, although I doubt I will be the first to reach a nundred pages as some BOAR-ing types will be nearer 2 hundred by now I should think as he's been posting since just after the war I think.

Team "Show Pony"

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

^ Jedi i was pissing myself laughing at your above post about the perving. We have a girl in the gym who does athletics for the uni team and the guys in there are just the same. People start dropping weights on the toes, spotters forget what they were doing, the radio has suddenly gone quiet and everyone has pervy smiles on there face. Me and my mates all glance at each other with just that smile and look that says "yes mate, WOW". lmao.

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

Cardio-OD

25min X-trainer
15min bike

abs

15min bike
10min X-trainer

Have been doing more cardio and making more effort on the diet front the last two weeks and have managed to push myself back up to 12st

Something is just not wired up quite right on the jedi model

Team "Show Pony"

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

Arrrgggghhhhh!!!
Poop.
Big fat chicken.
Found the 120 a bit hard on heavy bench so suffered mental failure re attempting 130.
Ummed and ahhhed and boc-boc-boc-bgaaaak-bailed out.
Pressed 125 but I mean really
...not the done thing old man

Team "Show Pony"

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

Chin up, theres always next time.

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

tsk.wav

SQ:230 BP:160:) DL:250 OHP:120

Thanks Ste but daKensta is right to tsk.
I acquired the nickname jedi because of my derring-do not my derring-don't.

Shoulders (before heavy bench)
front raise hammer grip
16kg x 12/10/8 -shoulder not troubled may up to 18 next week

lateral raise palm forward
14kg x 12/10/8 -again scope to move up next week

rear raise
12kg x 12/10/8 -definitely due an increase

Arnold press and v-press (after heavy bench)
24kg + 14kg x 10/8/8 -oh momma that is a burrrrrrn

Team "Show Pony"

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

Felt like death on Friday but didn't want to miss the gym for errr various reasons
Not least being to see if the squat miracle was still holding good. Didn't want to go too heavy so went in triples up to 130 x 6 - which was a bi more than I was banking on given the fragile state. Then back to 100 for 12/10/8
Then did some plie type squats on the ground station = legs totally pumped but

Leg ext.
84kg x 12/10/8 plus dropset

Leg Press
97kg x 1 leg at a time x 9/8/7

finshed the job

+ some calves

Team "Show Pony"

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

excellent! great to see some proper squatting!!

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
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Imsimon

great to see some proper squatting!!

Feels really good and am enjoying it at the minute, the lads i do the heavy bench with on the Thursday also do deads and squats for serious weight so am tempted to join in there. Not sure yet.

Cr@ppy weekend with this virus still tempted to go to the gym tonight.
Hate the thought of losing ground after all the work I've put in just recently.

Team "Show Pony"

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

just be carefull! sometimes you can do more damage than good when your ill!

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
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How right you are, I felt okay whilst I was there but not so good after.
Can't say I regret going though

Flat bench
100kg x 11+fingers on bar-12 plus bit of a spot -13PB?
100kg x 7 +1spotted
100kg x 5 +1spotted
90kg x 5 +  + 60kg x 5

Smith Incline
70kg x 10/9/8

Flat Dumbbells
34kg x 12

Incline Flies (paused)
20kg x 12/10/8

Chest Dips
15/12/10

SkullCrush/CloseGrip
40kg x 7each -hang on this is easy (someone handed me the bar)
40kg x 7each (hang on this is too heavy -had to press it up off the bench myself)
35kg x 7 each
some pulldowns/pushdowns.

some abs

bit of cardio -which I shouldn't have done given my cold

Very pleased with that pressing, even if I did tail off badly after that first set on the 100 getting to 12 on that weight (albeit with fingers on bar) is a massive milestone for me

Team "Show Pony"

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

yeah its great to see you get the 12reps! probably would of done it without the fingers needed if you didnt have the cold!

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?high=&m=3731999&mpage=1#3731999

Imsimon

great to see you get the 12reps! probably would of done it without the fingers needed if you didnt have the cold!

That's what I'll keep telling myself
The next target of getting up to 10 on the second set is going to be a bit of a challenge I reckon.

Team "Show Pony"

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

BacknBis

Chins
Wide
21
9
Sidetoside
4each/ 3each
Narrow grip arching back
6

High Pulldown
120kg x 12/10/8

Closegrip Pulldown
77kg x 10/9/8

Seated Row
49kg x 12/10/8

EZcurl
40kg x 11/7/5

Incline curls
14kg x 12/10/8

Seated curl
35kg x 9/8/7

Felt really good for the first set of chins
...and it was downhill all the way after that.

Team "Show Pony"

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

21 chins is pretty damn good though! you gotta be happy with that!

maybe next time stop at a few less to get more on the next sets

(its getting really exciting now! the 100th page will be any post soon!)

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?high=&m=3731999&mpage=1#3731999

The long long anticipated 100th page is here! and I cant believe I was the first to post on it! its such an honour!

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?high=&m=3731999&mpage=1#3731999

the ez curl is a wierd one as you can db curl with 35kg? yet only curl with both hands 40kg?

How's tricks sweet cheeks?

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Imsimon





The long long anticipated 100th page is here! and I cant believe I was the first to post on it! its such an honour!

Congratulations Sir.
You win this (picture of an) ironing board cover

We thank you for your loyalty and hope you continue to shop with jedi industries.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Incredible Bulk


the ez curl is a wierd one as you can db curl with 35kg? yet only curl with both hands 40kg?

How's tricks sweet cheeks?

Noooo the 35kg seated curl is with a thin barbell.
Not too worried about the bicep work to be honest as they are not lagging, any spare effort is still redirected downward into the calf area. Although am actually starting to see some very slow results there at last.

As for the more general inquiry, I was doing pretty good up until last week when I got this probably not swine-flu probably just a virus which has knocked me back a bit. Which is a bit of a bugger as I was sharpening up to take some progress shots this weekend but crummy diet and no cardio has put paid to that plan. As said, I am definitely planning a major update on what I think I've been doing for the last 6onths soon. Shouldn't need to put it off for too long as feeling much better now and will be aiming to press 130 bench tonight.
Scratch that.
I will be pressing 130 bench tonight.

Team "Show Pony"

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

130 bench
150 squat
and they even made me do some deadlifts

Went back to bodybuilding style bench as the elbows tucked thing just feels too weird.
130 went straight up -no stops to admire the view along the way
=very pleased.

Decided I'd join in with the squats due to new found confidence in that area and just did singles up to a v.cumfy 130 and then a not so good 150 where I pre-empted rounding the back at the bottom by virtually stepping backwards I kept my shoulders so far back
..still went up though

Deadlifts errr not so good

Team "Show Pony"

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

nice one on the bench! very good! and squats very good to!!

come on tell us all about the deads?  to be honest I wouldnt fancy doing deads after just doing heavy bench and squats! 

my journal, come say hello - I need all the help I can get! 
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/tm.aspx?high=&m=3731999&mpage=1#3731999

Imsimon

come on tell us all about the deads?  to be honest I wouldnt fancy doing deads after just doing heavy bench and squats! 

It's only working up in singles and doubles so not that bad although the preferred scheme is squat-bench-dead but someone was in the rack at the start. As for the deads well, you see, thing is, I just plain don't like 'em. Mostly in an I have no idea what the feck I'm supposed to be doing kind of a way. I have done clean and jerks/powercleans right back to the days of sprinting like a whippet jedi and I quite like that lift. Trouble is I mostly visualise the deadlift in the same way. Not so bad you might think, should give a decent set-up and hip position for the lift. Yes, in that much I would say correct. The problem comes with the lift itself as I have in my head a vision of 3-2-1 blast off at the bottom as the feeling of all systems go. So nrvous as anything, they worked me up to 160 which I wouldn't say I pulled so much as exploded, they laughed and said it went up like there was nothing on the bar, were amazed etc and advised that there was plenty more in the tank.
errr NO.
160 = flies up
170 = does not budge 1inch -total failure on the launchpad

Just totally do not have the feel for a long hard pull

Hoping things will improve as I get used to the lift a bit and have a bit more confidence that my back will not go twang. After I failed 170 Vic of the bionic legs (69yrs young and both knees replaced) stepped in and did a smooth 195.
The shame of it

Team "Show Pony"

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

deadlifts!

hooray!

gosh, I didn't know Mike still read your journal



(predictive form filling is not always a good thing)

SQ:230 BP:160:) DL:250 OHP:120

daKekesta

deadlifts!
hooray!

I can't say I feel very high_five.gif about them just yet
My back is feeling it today, although not as bad as the last time I tried them. Having ben thinking about maybe sticking to reps at 140-ish to work on the technique but on the other hand don't think my back will like the idea of reps much at all. So, new plan, work up in singles and doubles to that 160 until it feels really comfortable then try to get a couple or three out at that. In other words keep the volume and the intensity low for a bit.

Was delighted () to see big lad in there benching 150 for reps just days after my frankly heroic 130. One thing that did strike me was that he was using the arched-back, elbows in  powerlifting technique and you could really see just how this would help as the range of movement was practically halved compared to my elbows out everything flat on the bench effort.
Seems a bit of a contradiction to me.
Powerlifting types bash on and on (and on) in endless fashion about depth on the squat, range of motion etc and then do what looks very much like a p1ss-poor cheat-bench Weird.
I probably won't post the above in powerlifting and strongman section
... but still.
Explanations/justifications on a postcard here please.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Friday Legs:
Squats -yes that's right squats 2 days in a row.
Had agreed to watch over a lad wanting to get into squatting (blind leading blind I know) but didn't look like he was coming so worked my way through
60 x plenty
100 x some
120 x 3
130 x 5 (bit of a strain after Thursday)
100 x 12/ 10/ 8

-then young Michael arrived looking keen and eager so also did
60 x some
80 x some
70 x 12/10/8

in the way of encouragement.
Was very impressed with his effort for someone who'd not really done any before.
Looks a natural to me and will be at 100 in a 3weeks easy.

Leg Ext
77 x 12/ 10/ 8 (down a weight I know but are you frikkin kiddin me)

Leg Press
Stack x 12/10/8 (heels on bottom of plate and not locking out)


plus some calves.

Team "Show Pony"

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

My back tightened up quite badly over Saturday/Sunday but not to the point that I couldn't do anything just that I looked like an evolutionary throwback whilst doing it.

Wouldn't be the first time I've looked like a Homo Erectus.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Flat bench
100kg x 12 +2spotted
100kg x 7 +2spotted
100kg x 4 +2spotted
90kg x 5 +  + 60kg x 5

Smith Incline
70kg x 10/8/8

Flat Dumbbells
34kg x 15

Incline Flies (paused)
20kg x 12/10/8

Chest Dips
15/12/10

No skulls due to EZbar being busy so even more pushdown/pulldowns than usual.

15min cardio.

Totally chuffed with the 12reps on my own for the 100, trouble is it ruined me a bit for the rest of the workout as had a very good spotter who kept off the bar while I was killing myself to get the 12th and then kept me to the promise of 2 forced reps. Trained with young Michael from leg day after that set and he pretty much thrashed me at everything else. I think he's joining in for a bit more intensity in his workout and it is already evident that with some consistent, strict training under his belt, he'll fly by me at a rate of knots.
No, don't really mind, it's good to see in fact.

Just ordered a MicroSD card for my sh!tphone so there is possibility of vids on Thurs.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Look forward to the vids!

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jedi

Just ordered a MicroSD card for my sh!tphone so there is possibility of vids on Thurs.

ooh! exciting.

SQ:230 BP:160:) DL:250 OHP:120

daKensta

jedi

Just ordered a MicroSD card for my sh!tphone so there is possibility of vids on Thurs.

ooh! exciting.

Incredible Bulk

Look forward to the vids!

The prospect of seeing a very thin, bald man lift your warm-up weights is exciting you, why?
*feels performance anxiety
"Fluffer to the set for Mr. jedi"

Team "Show Pony"

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

BacknBis

Chins
back to super-strict pulling high
12/10/8

High Pulldown
110kg x 12/10/8

Closegrip Pulldown
77kg x 12/10/8

Seated Row
49kg x 12/10/8

EZcurl
40kg x 10/5/4 oh for f.....

Incline curls
14kg x 12/10/8

Seated curl
30kg x 12/10/8

Trained with young Michael again and, if he was looking for the secret of my mighty gunz, he was probably not impressed. Major bomb-out from jedi after feeling very light-headed from the closegrippers onward. That is the worst effort yet on the curls and is quite frankly not very heroic ()
Will have to try harder next week or I am on a remedial course at 35kg which will be a bit of a blow to be honest.
It was frikkin HOT in there last night though.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Training with young Michael again and it was his turn with the light-headed fainty feeling so I kept pace a bit better.

Shoulders
Smith Press
70kg 12/10/8
80kg 5 70kg 5 40kg 8

front raise hammer grip
16kg x 12/10/8

lateral raise palm forward
14kg x 12/10/8

rear raise
12kg x 12/10/8

Arnold press and v-press (after heavy bench)
20kg + 12kg x 12/10/8
should've videoed these as the burnfullness was quite comical.

SO chuffin humid in there last night.

In other news weight is back over 12st and look a lot better for it.
Think it could be some muscle from the rebirth of squat
...or possibly water retention.

edit: worth noting that I upright pressed better than Monday's incliine making me think that the 12 x 100 is to blame there

Team "Show Pony"

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

Seemed a bit hit and miss in last night's session. Pleased with the squatting where I continue to feel more comfortable at depth. This really is some kind of minor miracle considering where I was about 3weeks ago
...things were bad at that stage.
Really bad.
Much the same as my deadlifting is at the minute

Squat; worked up to 130 feeling good and threw that up so ...straight to 150

Pleased with that. So onto 160 which also went up but probably wasn't quite as good on depth and didn't get video-ed due to spotting duties. Will probably be on the launchpad next week.

Bench was okay-ish.
Decided I would probably get 130 so passed and tried 135 which I didn't.
I did do 2 negatives and spotted positives on that and the same at 130 followed by a good paused on the chest rep at 120. None of which were video-ed due to errr lack of interest mainly.

Deadlift.

Still not great.
Kept it at 160 as there may have been a bit more available but I still have a major sense of "You're doing it wrong" and I don't really have any clue what,when,why or how etc.
Will post the vid here later.

Team "Show Pony"

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

Good depth, good squat... looked very easy
 
cant see 160 being much trouble, i'd say you'd be more pushed by 170.

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